Call me Tomorrow
by Rouge the theif
Summary: What happens if rouge and knuckles don't know each other yet and when Rouge is stuck in a job she does not like and Knuckles dials the number by accident? Rougexknuckles & VanillaxVector & SonicxAmy. another chapter up!
1. prologue

Let me start off by saying, if there's two things I hate in life it's Eggman and the job Eggman got me into. As for a broader dislike, it'd probably be all men in general. Sure, I was just like any other girl – always looking for Mr. Right, the one that's "just my type," some pretty boy with lots of cash. Well, I'm not Cinderella and let me tell you, the assholes out in the world today, are definitely no Prince Charming.

Sure, most everyone's had a bad relationship that would make them think this sooner or later, but me…. No, I just have an evil boss that thinks it's okay to force his helper into sleazy jobs just because he's low on cash. Cash he spends on things for himself, might I add. I guess I should be lucky he didn't sell me off as a prostitute, oh no, I just got the other end of the deal. I can't see the people that pay for my services.

Yeah, you got it; my bastard boss got me a job as a phone-sex operator. Sure, go ahead and laugh your damn ass off. It's funny when it's not you, isn't it? But try to think about what I have to deal with. Thanks to the fact my dearest boss has gotten all the legal rights to my say in anything, I now have to talk to these filthy pieces of masculine scum that all seem to get kicks out of hearing me talk. Lesson one – men are all assholes and perverts.

So, after about a week stuck in this hell-hole job, I got one that sounded nice, like a young kid that got put up to calling in as a dare. I find out later from one of the other girls when I called in for scheduling that this "young kid" is one of their regulars. Needles to say my hope for humanity is decreasing by the moment.

I'd tried legal battles to get out of Eggman's grasp, but once you slap a fake-mental issue on someone not a damn soul cares what happens to you anymore. Sad thing is, I know that all the legal papers behind this shit was bought by my boss off some asshole of a judge willing to be a little less than honest for some quick cash.

So that's my story – stuck in a horrible job with a horrible life and not a damn chance at freedom no matter what I do. Who would have guessed that it would all change just because someone out there in the world dialed the wrong number?


	2. Lucky number

It was a typical day as Rouge sat glaring at the monitor in front of her, the phone rang and she tensed.

"Hello this is Yumiko. How are you today?" The short-blonde haired girl next to her purred into the headset, as she fidgeted with some strings in her hands.

Rouge sighed, if another call came in, she'd have to take it. Her only hope was that her co-worker finished up this call quickly.

Rubbing at her temples, the white-haired female looked up as 'Yumiko' tapped her on the arm and pointed to a slip of paper she'd slid over.

"Sorry but this is one of the longer ones – he just loves it when I play with his hair. Just hang in there if someone calls."

Nodding in reply, Rouge looked back to the clock – 3:32PM just about thirty minute's left before her shift was over.

Trying her best to ignore the sounds and giggles that were coming from the girl beside her, Rouge went back to throwing darts into her nearby dartboard.

It had become a pastime for her since she'd started at this place about a week before. Sure the pay was really good, they charged the damn perverts per minute to make most of the employees' think it was easy cash.

"Easy cash…that's about right," She pondered to herself, lining up another dart, "Easy cash for that scumbag boss of mine." Letting the dart fly, it imbedded itself right in the 'bull's-eye' or to be more precise, right into a photograph of a dark-crankily bald man.

"Between the eyes, just what he has coming to him…" Rouge mumbled.

Glancing back over to 'Yumiko' Rouge shook her head. Here the idiot on the other line was probably certain that he was giving some girl the thrill of her life, but on the other hand, she was just toying with the strings in her hands, forming cat's cradles and other string tricks.

"Psst, Topaz…" She whispered, trying not to disrupt the phone call.

The girl looked over towards her and tilted her head.

"We do get off at four on Thursday's right?"

Nodding in the positive, Topaz's voice whispered seductively into the receiver, "Oh my, oh my, we're being awfully naughty aren't we?"

Rouge's eyes looked up at the clock once again, 3:37PM. This day couldn't be over soon enough.

About to lean back and throw another dart towards her photographic target, Rouge flinched and dropped the dart as the phone line rang.

Eyes wide, She looked desperately to Topaz for help – but her co-worker only mouthed "Sorry, Rouge," In reply.

Taking a deep breath, and slipping into the most seductive voice she could muster, Rouge spoke into the headset, "Hello there, this is Kalika. How are you today?"

The line was quiet, and she was just about to hang-up – figuring it was just some prank or someone that chickened out – when a very grumpy, yet seemingly irritated male voice could be vaguely heard.

"Damn that Sonic! I'll kill him for this!"

Rouge blinked, not quite sure what to do in this situation.

"I assume this is a sexual-telecommunication line. Am I right?" The voice inquired.

"Yes, it is." She replied, cursing herself for sounding so nervous.

"Then I am to also think that you are to talk to me until I feel pleased. Right?"

Rouge glared at a spot on the wall. These inane questions were pissing her off, a lot.

"Sad to say, but yes. That's what I'm paid to do." She responded after a moment, her voice with a tone of annoyance in it.

The line went silent, and she was hoping that he would just hang up and it would all be over with - but she wasn't that lucky.

"You don't sound all that enthused." The voice said a light air of amusement to it.

"Well, like hell I would be!" She snapped back, then covered her mouth. "Shit! What am I saying?"

"It's sad to think that people have resorted to such lewd forms of employment." He said simply, the voice trailing off as if he was about to hang-up, but this time, Rouge wasn't going to let him get the last word in.

"Excuse me Mr. High and mighty hothead, but who ever said that I wanted this damn job in the first place, huh? And who are you to judge someone you've never met and that you don't know the circumstances of their life? You must be some pretentious asshole if you think you can judge me by just this horrible job I'm stuck in." Rouge ranted, pausing to take a breath and expecting to hear the line cut off.

Instead, it was just silence…silence followed by that guy's voice.

"Prove me wrong, then!" He challenged, voice just as impatient as before.

"What?"

"For such confidence – you should have words to back with."

"Why you damn bastard, I ought to…" She fumed, about to say more when she felt a tug at her glove.

It was Topaz.

"Rouge calm down. We don't want him to report you," She whispered, trying to keep the irate girl from saying anything too rash.

"I'm waiting." He spoke again.

"Waiting?" Rouge asked.

"For you to defend yourself."

That was all Rouge needed, before her fist cracked the arm of the wooden desk chair she sat in, "Fuck you bastard! Why the hell am I even talking to you if you're just going to insult me? It's not my damn fault my boss forced me into this job just so he can get some quick cash, and don't even tell me that I can get him in court because he's already bought off all the damn judges. I can't do a damned thing and so here I am stuck talking in this damned phone to a bunch of perverted bastards like you!"

Topaz blinked, "Oh my, Rouge…don't you think that…"

"Hush, the scumbag's talking." She quickly cut her off.

"One, I'm not some pervert! My idiot friend thought changing the speed-dial number was an amusing prank! Two, if you want to get away from your boss, then do so!"

"I can't damnit, and there's not a soul in the world that'll help me either. So I'm just screwed…" She sighed; this whole conversation was really stressing her out.

"Then why not ask one of your callers?" He stated matter of factly.

"Because they're all damned perverts!" Rouge yelled back.

The line fell quiet, then he calmly replied, "I told you otherwise myself."

Rouge laughed to herself, "Right, and you are going to help me?"

"Do you want me to?" He questioned.

She paused, "And why should I trust you?"

"Who said I expected you to trust me?"

On the verge of ripping out her fur at this guy's consistent riddles, she retorted, "Well for one thing, I don't even know your name."

"Knuckles."

"What?"

"That's the name I was given." He explained.

"And now I'm supposed to trust you, is that it?" She inquired, obviously not buying it.

"That's up to you."

Topaz had stood up and placed a hand on Rouge's shoulder, hoping it would keep her co-worker from destroying anymore nearby furniture.

The silence on the phone line ended as Knuckles spoke yet again, "I'll be having dinner at the café on 3rd street at about 5:15. If you want to speak to me in person – ask for me there."

She blinked, 'Is he trying to set up a date!' Frowning, she asked him, "What is this? Some tricky way to get a date?"

"I'm being charged for this call!"

Pausing, Rouge blinked, then replied, "Well yes…"

"I'll be at that place if you want to come speak with me in person. I'm not going to waste anymore of my money just to listen to you rant!"

"Well fine then!" Rouge relented.

The dead-air noise continued, and Rouge was beginning to feel almost certain he'd finally hung up, when his voice made one final remark, "But for one so scared of facing their own problems – I doubt facing an intellectual conversation would hold any more appeal."

And with that he hung up.

"That fucking bastard! He's gone and set me up to go on damned date with him!" Rouge fumed, slamming down her headset.

Topaz smiled at her, curious as to what was going to happen, "So are you going to go?"

She muttered a reply, "Why should I bother? My luck he's just some pervert that faked all that innocent shit just so he could jump me in public."

"You spent twenty-three minutes on the phone with him and he didn't even try for a grope. Any sane man would have snapped in that time, you know how bad they are about conversations. He sounds like he might be a catch, Rouge."

"Yeah right. I'm sure he really wants to talk to me 'intellectually'," She replied, sarcasm dripping.

"Come on now, you're just making excuses. It's a public place, just don't stray from there and he won't try much. Plus," She handed one of the strings over to Rouge, and held up the other herself, "If he does, just take that little string and – " She lifted the string up and mimicked strangling.

Rouge sighed, "Topaz, are you really sure about this? I mean, after getting call after call from these perverts how can you be so trusting of men?"

The blonde-haired girl giggled, "Oh dear, you've got it all wrong. I don't trust them, one bit. I just give them enough rope… that if they do try anything stupid, I can hang them with it."

Offering a weak smile in return, Rouge looked to the red-thread in her hands, "I guess it would be a good enough reason not to go home right away."

"That's the spirit! Now, you have my number at the beauty school if you need to call for anything right?"

"Yeah, thanks Topaz." The bat remarked, gathering her things up.

As Rouge walked out, she gave a slight wave back to her co-worker; waving in return, Topaz yelled down the hallway, "And if he's a total sleaze grab a chunk of his fur and run!"

The smile on Rouge's face widened a bit, knowing all to well how much Topaz loved experimenting on different fur types. Looking to her watch, she figured, "I'll just casually walk by the café. If I don't see anyone worth my time, I won't go. He's probably not worth the trouble anyway."

Preview for next chapter –

Not being the type to trust just anyone, let alone a guy, Rouge doesn't plan on doing any more than taking a quick glance at this "Knuckles" and walking away. But, things don't always go the way they are planned and sometimes, it's for the better.


	3. ringing for a rendezvous

There are certain things that teachers and parents ingrain into your head as a child – not talking to strangers being one of them. Well, what the hell are you supposed to do when your job is seducing strangers via telephone and then you get some asshole that thinks he knows everything about your life and manages to trick you into a date? I know, anyone sane wouldn't go anywhere near the café, but that bastard insulted me and seems to think I can't stand up for myself. If I don't show, it's going to piss me off the rest of my life.

Of course, if I can see that he's just some scumbag that's obviously just desperate to get laid, I'll smugly note to myself that people have no business trying to tell me how to live my life and just go on like the call never happened. But, like Topaz noted – this particular one seemed different. Maybe it's because he was the first person to ever shove it in my face that I should be strong enough to handle my boss. Or maybe it's because he's some hothead that thinks the world revolves around him and that mere peons like me aren't worth the trouble.

Well, whatever my muddled reasons were that afternoon…whether it was my attempt to prove him wrong or some subconscious hope that he was a half-decent guy that might help me get away from my boss, I found myself walking towards the café.

The afternoon sun created splotches of light through the leaves of the trees in the city park as the white-fur female bat slowly made her way down the twisted path.

'Why am I doing this again? He's just some perverted asshole; I have nothing to prove to him.' Glancing at the string Topaz had given her just in case Rouge paused and looked up to the sky, "It's red. Very funny, a red thread." She spat to the gods above, "Well I'll show you how well your stupid fate shit works for me. I'll betcha that this guy's going to be no better than the rest. So there, take your immortal crap and shove it."

While still standing there, the wind shifted the trees causing a shaft of light to hit directly on Rouge. She frowned, "Hey now, don't you go and expect my soul or anything if you win this. You already know what's going to happen."

Just about to continue down the path, the ringing of her cell phone caught her attention. Pulling it out, she took one look at the number on the display and scowled.

"Oh fuck you Eggman, I'm not coming home now," She muttered, "Damn it's only five and he's having a fit just because I went somewhere after work…He's probably thinking I went and spent my paycheck or something…"

Kicking a rock from in front of her foot, a nearby squirrel skittered away after giving her an odd look.

She glared after it, "What?"

With a sigh, Rouge regarded herself, "I suppose I am making quite a scene. I mean, it's not everyday you see a young bat girl dressed in a short red dress and high heels kicking rocks, cussing and talking to herself."

Shrugging, she continued walking, "Maybe Topaz's right. I'm too used to guy's flirting with me to find one that doesn't piss me off. Then again, most males are possessive, perverted, two-timing, egotistic bastards so I'm not really missing out on anything."

Emerging from the other edge of the park, Rouge spotted the small café on the corner of third street.

Quirking an eyebrow, she noted the sign hanging above the small establishment.

'Café and Deli.'

Squinting, she discerned a small white monkey adorning the logo. 'Oh that's a good omen,' She thought to herself sarcastically, 'Figures of all the animals that they'd use for a mascot it had to be a white monkey – Eggman's favorite.'

Shaking her head, she was on the verge of turning around then and there, fed-up with the whole situation. It's then that a loud voice caught her ears. Squinting once again, she thanked her good vision and began to discern the situation on the other side of the narrow street.

"Hey, kid! Can't I get some service here!"

Frowning Rouge looked at the person behind the voice.

He was a large frog, very chunky. Next to him sat a pretty young girl, hanging on his arm and trying to calm him down.

'Good. That's not him since no one would be stupid enough to challenge me out here then bring their date.'

The young blonde fox boy who seemed to be the café's waiter quickly made his way over to the table, "I'm sorry Mr. Tsukumo, but we're out of smoked ham. We have some honey-baked ham left if you'd rather have that."

"Well why didn't you tell me that when I ordered?" the frog fumed.

"So…sorry sir, but he ordered the last one a few moments before you did." The waiter explained, pointing behind him to a strange looking echidna.

Blinking before it registered in her eyes, she took in his features. 'Sure enough, that guy has red hair…he looks like he's seventeen.' Frowning, she kept her eyes fixed on him, 'I wonder if he's the hothead…'

Glancing up due to the commotion between the waiter and the other customer, the echidna in question leveled a glare at the loud frogman.

Rouge caught the echidna's deep violet gaze as it shifted back to his own meal, the other guy laughing nervously.

"Sorry about that waiter. I had no idea Mr. Echidna was dining here today. Please give him my apologies."

The young fox boy nodded, "I shall. Now what did you want for a replacement order?"

'So the weird one's a regular hmm?' Rouge pondered to herself.

The waiter turned, headed toward what appeared to be the kitchen when a very slight raise of the red-furred echidna's hand caused him to halt in his tracks and rush over.

"Yes Mr. Echidna?"

He pointed to his coffee mug.

"Oh certainly, sir. I'll get more right away!"

Lifting up the empty glass, he began to turn until the gruffly voice stopped him.

"Tails. No sugar this time."

Nodding profusely, the blonde-furred youth replied, "Yes sir. Black…right? Black…um…not decaff right?"

With a slight nod in the positive from the echidna, Tails rushed off into the kitchen to fulfill the request.

Looking at the clock on her cell phone, Rouge realized it was almost 5:15 and that if she was going to go through with this, she would have to muster the courage to go over there and find out which one was Knuckles.

Balling her fist she muttered to herself, 'Just remember. He thinks you aren't going to show, by just showing up you're already proving him wrong.'

'Plus,' Her mind reasoned, 'it seems like everyone's a bit afraid of ticking off that Mr. Echidna guy. So as long as he's there, my caller won't dare cause a scene.'

Taking a deep breath, she casually walked across the street, mentally preparing herself for what came next.

'Okay, its simple – just get a table and sit down and have a drink. Since I'll be the only girl sitting by herself, it will let him know who I am and he can approach me.'

Walking in past the few tables outside, she couldn't help but notice the red-furred echidna glanced up slightly from the paper work he was looking over as she passed. Distracted by his movement, she didn't notice that her path was on a one-way collision course with none other than the waiter and the cup of coffee.

The two forces hit, the coffee going one way, Tails to one side, and Rouge straight backwards.

She hit the ground, old habits kicked in, " That hurts!" She cursed; shaking her hand from where a bit of the hot coffee had splashed on it.

The strange echidna quirked an eyebrow and muttered, "I see you're just as calm in public." Rouge's eyes widened, that voice, that tone…and that attitude giving him away completely. She whipped her head in his direction and shot a deadly glaze, "What did you say? I see you're just as rude."

"Then again," he paused to eat a small bite, then continued, "The fact that you came is surprising."

Putting it all together and during the chaos forgetting that this was the same Mr. Echidna that the rest of the customers seemed to fear, she stood and leveled an accusing finger, "You – like hell I'm here to see you I was just stopping in for a meal, thank you very much!"

A tiny hint of what could be a smirk lit itself on his features, "Are you trying to convince yourself that? Because I know better!"

Yanking out the chair across the table from him, she sat with a 'hmph' and continued to glare, "You know a gentlemen is supposed to help a lady when she falls."

"You're no lady." He retorted.

"What do you want from me anyway?"

"You're the one that came here to speak to me. I just didn't want to pay you," He remarked, frowning as he looked to where Tails had just finished wiping up the spill.

"I'll get you another one in a second Mr. Echidna. I'm so sorry about that, Miss. I'm such an idiot sometimes and…"

"Tails!" Knuckles cut off the boy's apologies, then looked at Rouge, "What do you want?"

"What do I want from what?" She asked.

"To drink!" He fumed.

'He's getting me a drink?' Her thoughts echoed, but she pushed it aside, trying to form an answer, "Cappuccino I suppose. Not sure I'll have enough from my stupid job's paycheck to cover anything else." She retorted.

"Tails. The coffee and add a Cappuccino to my bill."

"Yes Mr. Echidna!" The fox boy replied, quickly going off to do as he was told.

'He's offering to pay…hold on a minute…is this really the same guy?' Rouge's mind thought, trying to process everything.

"Can we start with your name?" Knuckles said, just curtly and hotheaded as he'd been all along.

'That's right…he never did ask me my real name…' She noted.

"Unless you'd rather I call you by your business name."

Definitely not wanting that, she quickly replied, "It's Rouge."

"You sure that's not your fake name?"

She glared, "I resent that comment."

He sat in silence, so figuring that if this was going to go anywhere, Rouge spoke up, "So what about you?"

"You know my name."

"Well yes but…why did you randomly challenge me out here?"

"I didn't think you'd come." He remarked casually.

Rouge frowned, "Oh I'm sorry, did I ruin your day by actually showing up to prove you that I'm not some dime-store slut?"

Knuckles tried not to blow and took a drink of the coffee that Tails had just sat in front of him.

"I…I hope that it's satisfactory, Mr. Echidna."

With a wave of his hand and nod that it was indeed to his liking, the waiter retreated, going off to attend to other tables after sitting the Cappuccino in front of Rouge.

"So what's it like?" He questioned, sitting down his mug.

"What's what like?" Rouge countered not sure how to even begin to read into this grumpy guy and his anger management.

"Your job."

"What do you think it's like?" She sighed, angered that he dared bring it up when he already knew her feelings towards it.

Taking the question, as it was just to try her patience more, he replied, "The word pleasurable comes to mind."

"Oh you wish." She said, tapping her fingers on the table, which were bleeding from the coffee stain.

Eyebrows creased in thought, Knuckles noted the brief expression of discomfort that crossed the batgirl's face despite her attempt to mask it with anger.

Reaching into the pocket of the jacket he put beside him, he handed her a handkerchief, "I don't think the café wants you bleeding on their table."

Looking twice between the offered cloth and the echidna's face, Rouge's face softened despite herself, and she took it from him, 'Say thank you damnit!' Her thoughts berated her, but different words came out, "I thought I was supposed to do things for myself."

His eyes heated up again, "There is a difference between dependency and codependency."

"Well well, what do we have here?" A smug female voice intoned, interrupting the conversation, if you could call it that.

Knuckles frowned.

"Aw, not gonna answer me? Come on Knux, we know each other better than that," She put her hands on her hips, her long purple hair swaying back and forth as she did so.

Still not getting an answer from him, the purple-furred echidna turned her attention to Rouge.

"And who might this be Knuckles? It's certainly not your secretary since you just fired her."

Rouge frowned, she didn't like the haughty tone this echidna was using and was subconsciously beginning to wonder if this echidna was romantically involved with Knuckles. 'See – he's a two-timer. They all have their faults and you just found his!' Her thoughts remarked.

"Well Miss, I do hate to intrude on whatever it is you two were involved in, but I have things to do and places to go and seeing Knuckles has to fit in that schedule somehow."

Standing, Rouge shot the echidna a glare, then carried it over to Knuckles.

"Then I suppose I'll be going," she said firmly, thoroughly upset with the way things were turning out.

With that and not a word more, she stormed off down the street. Not realizing she still had his handkerchief around her hand and not hearing what Julie-su said the moment she was out of earshot.

"Now, we might actually get some good writing from you, You're finally trying to get in touch with your romantic side," The echidna said, sitting down.

"Was that production really needed?" He remarked, obviously displeased by how she'd made her entrance.

You know, if you were a more talkative person I wouldn't have to go to such lengths to try and get information out of you. It's hard on my beauty, the stress you put me through," Julie-su said, running a hand through her fur.

"I can always get another editor!"

"Knuckles, no one is going to put up with you and your sad attempts to try and write a novel. It's irritating enough for me and I wouldn't even try to put up with it if you and your grandfather weren't paying me so much."

The red-furred echidna just frowned looking back to the papers he held, a partial transcript with the words, The Guardian of the Master Emerald, scrawled on the front.

"All right, hand it over and I'll see what we can do," Julie-su muttered as she took it from him, "But in return, you'd better start talking about that bat. I've never seen you look that way at someone before, and I'm hoping that that means somewhere inside your girl fearing, hotheaded body there's a heart.

A few blocks away, Rouge fumed as she stormed towards home, "just who does that Knuckles echidna think he is anyway?" she remarked, not noticing the large business building she'd just passed with a sizeable sign reading, Echidna Books and Publishing Inc.

Preview for next chapter-

Rouge now faces the hardest challenge of all – going home to face her boss. But after a fight, help is only a phone call away. Too bad she doesn't have Knuckles' number…


	4. Call Me When You Need Me

There are several things a woman doesn't like to deal with right after having all her minuscule hopes in a man dashed before her eyes. In my case, my boss topped that list, yet he was the one I found myself headed home towards.

I really had nowhere else to go, and Topaz would be at the beauty school until late that night, so home was the only option. Needless to say, I would have been better sleeping out in the park with that squirrel.

Now I'm sure you're all thinking that I'm exaggerating the matter with my boss. Well, if you're thinking that, then you're an idiot. My boss is not your average boss. Oh no. He is the incarnate of evil, and I swear he's been that way since he was born. I mean, the fact he's never spoken of a mother or father is suspicious enough as it is. Sure some might call that overprotective- you know, hiding things from your minions for their betterment. Well damnit, I'm not a child and he needs to stop ordering me around like one.

But with the legalities he's gotten stuck on me, I'm his to control until I can figure out someway out of it. And who would have guessed that "way out" would involve me almost getting myself killed on a rainy night?

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Chapter 3: Call Me When You Need Me

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Rouge trudged down the sidewalk, glaring at anyone who dared give her a second look. Her already irritable mood was smoldering with anger and the last thing she wanted to deal with was another human being or animal. Not so lucky for her, she was headed home to face the one human she hated the most- her boss.

Pulling her key from her purse, she opened the door and quietly stepped in.

"I see we've been out enjoying ourselves, Rouge…" The ominous voice intoned from the living room.

She flinched, knowing that this was coming.

A short black young robot boy walked over to her, and in a squeaky voice spoke, "Rouge. The doctor wants to speak with you."

"Okay Bokum," She replied quietly.

With a deep breath she went into the living room, the dark décor and lack of proper lighting was something she'd grown accustomed to, but the dark figure on the couch was one she still dreaded seeing.

"Rouge. What have I told you about going out without my permission?"

Biting her tongue from saying too much, she replied, "It came up unexpectedly."

"I don't care if it did or not. You were given strict orders to come directly home after work. Where were you?" Eggman questioned standing, his intimidating glare enough to cause Rouge to step back.

"I had to meet with one of my callers." She said, hoping that if she made it seem work-related he'd let her off.

Instead, his dark gaze deepened, "A guy then. I see your little scheme…and you will not get away with it." Grabbing her up forcefully by her shoulder, he leveled a deadly look, "You will always be under my control Rouge. I hold your life in my hands, and no matter what you do, whether you beg on the streets, sell your body or do anything else to get help, I will know and I will punish you for it."

Wincing as his hand constricted on her shoulder, she spat in his face, "I'd never sell my body. The only reason I have that goddamn job is because you're making me! Why the hell can't I talk to another person? I'm tired of you using me like this, Eggman!"

Pushing him away from her, she stormed out of the room, past the young robot who'd been silently watching from the doorway and out the front door.

"Bug off, Eggman, you can't control me! I will be free." She yelled back, slamming the door behind her and running down the street as best she could in her high heels.

Finally feeling that she was a safe distance away, she paused, allowing her breath to catch up with her.

Pulling back her foot, she kicked the tree trunk, cringing as the pain shot through her foot and up to her now bruised shoulder, "Damn him! Just damn him!" She cursed, throwing a few more kicks until her leg demanded no more abuse.

Biting back any tears or cries of pain, she looked to the handkerchief that had had fallen to the ground while she was taking out her frustration on the tree.

Lifting it slowly, and using it to bandage her now slightly bloodied foot, she sighed, "Why can't anything ever go right in my life? Just for once, it'd be nice..."

Cradling her right arm with her left, she began to wander down the street.

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Rouge wasn't sure how long she'd been walking, but she decided she didn't care, "_There's no way in hell I'm going back to that house tonight._"

As she stormed down the street, she didn't notice the three headed towards her. The young girl scurried forward and paused in front of Rouge.

Her eyes narrowed, "What do you want, kid?"

The rabbit child's ears were on each side of her head and it bounced as the girl spoke, "Here. You look like you need some cheering up."

Rouge looked from the offered tattered flower to the girl and back, finally taking the gift, "Uh…thanks."

"Things will get better, Miss. That's what mom always says."

"Now Cream, let's not disturb her any further," The bigger bunny girl Rouge figured was the mother said sweetly, taking the child's hand.

The guy had continued walking, muttering simply, "Let's go."

Blinking, the brooding young woman paused dead in her tracks. The was a crocodile…from team chaotix.

Rubbing her eyes as if she'd seen a mirage, Rouge squinted as the family turned the corner a block away.

Before her thoughts could consider the issue anymore, a loud clap of thunder announced with no uncertainty the deluge of rain that began to come down out of seemingly nowhere.

Rouge frowned, "That's just my damn luck. Figures of all days, it would be today that it would pour down rain. Ah damn this…"

----------------------------------------------

Having finally finished his meeting with his editor, Knuckles laid his manuscript in the passenger seat of his black car.

"_Annoying woman. It is not her business to be inquiring about the people I choose to speak with!_" He thought to himself.

Walking around to his side of the car, he sat down and rubbed at his temples, "_Especially when I doubt I will see her again._"

Pausing, he frowned as he looked off in the direction Rouge had fled in earlier that day.

"_I wonder if she'll actually be able to stand up to her boss,_" He bowed his head in thought, "_Though that matter- it doesn't matter._"

Glancing over to the papers sitting beside him, his frown deepened as he reflected on what Julie-su had told him earlier amidst her rambles.

"_There is no emotion in this, Knuckles! None! The action's great, the adventure- original, but there is no emotion and that doesn't sell. Your writing has to have a heart…_" She had paused then, "_But editor or not, anyone could tell you that you can't give your story heart if you're unwilling to admit you have one yourself._"

Turning up the speed of his windshield wipers to ward off the rain, Knuckles smirked to himself, "_A heart she says. Such a pathetic romantic. Not every story is man meets woman. Man falls for woman. Man and woman live happily ever after._"

Thinking back on Julie-su's insistence about a relationship between him and Rouge, he shook his head, "_Especially a woman you just by chance meet. Life is no fairytale_."

-------------------------------

The rain continued, steadily getting heavier and leaving Rouge soaking wet and far from any place to stand to get dry. She wrapped her arms around herself, trying to keep warm despite the fact that her clothes were sticking to her and soaked all the way through.

"_Damn Eggman.. I wouldn't be out in the rain like this if he weren't such a bastard. I don't even know where to sleep tonight…and it figures I left my cell phone when I stormed out…_"

Running a hand through her dripping fur, she approached a crossing and began across, not taking the time to even look for oncoming traffic.

"_I wish I knew where Topaz lived. She's been nice to me so far at work, and she seems to be okay, despite her weird quirks… Aside from her though, I really have no one else to call on._"

Pausing in the middle of the street, she looked up at the rain, "What time is it anyway… Topaz might still be at the beauty school…"

Before her thoughts could continue, the bright glare of a car's headlights bathed her body in its yellow glow. She turned, like an animal caught before their impending doom, unable to move and only staring at the thing that would soon impact with her body. Closing her eyes as if it was all a bad dream that she'd wake up from, she flinched as she heard the squealing of the tires.

The car swerved, water spraying all over her as it veered to the side. Skidding to a halt, the vehicle stopped completely.

Slowly peeking an eye open, and dreading seeing some ominous white light or worse, Rouge blinked herself out of her state of shock just long enough to notice a figure walking towards her in the dim night.

"If you want to commit suicide. Find another car!" The voice shouted bluntly.

She rubbed her arms, water still dripping down her now drenched body, and squinted against the headlights the driver had left on. "Tall, hothead yet firm voice, long light red fur…you've got to be shitting me…"

As he stood before her, all semblance's of words left her thoughts- leaving the two just standing there in the pouring rain.

He laughed inwardly, "_Julie-Su would be laughing at me right about now…_"

"Come on," He spoke, turning back towards his car.

"What?" She heard a voice she figured was her own whisper.

His eyes narrowed, "It is bad for one's health to be out in weather such as this," He muttered.

Still not registering all that was happening; the only thing that she was able to say in reply was his name.

"Knuckles."

He stopped and looked to her.

"Why?"

"Why what?" The red-furred echidna inquired; his eyebrow quirked.

"Why are you helping me? You have a girlfriend. Won't she be upset if she knows that I…"

"Editor," Knuckles' flat voice said quickly.

"What?"

"That woman was my editor."

Pausing to take in the meaning of that, Rouge began to shakily walk towards the car. Finally realizing just how soaked her clothing was and how cold it was outside.

Satisfied that she was finally listening to his request, Knuckles walked over towards her and placed his long trench coat around her.

She blinked, and he answered as hotheaded and devoid of emotion as he usually did, "I don't want the interior of my car wet."

"Well excuse me for getting water splashed all over me," She retorted, her defense systems kicking back into play.

He paused and opened the passenger door; lifting a small bundle of papers out of the seat.

Without a word more, he waited for her to seat herself then closed the door behind her, returning to the driver's side. He stopped, opened the backseat door and placed the paperwork on the seat there before opening his door and getting in.

The car started and he righted its position on the slick roads.

They drove in silence, Rouge not asking where to and Knuckles not asking why she was out in the rain in the first place.

Finally, she spoke up, "I can call a friend to pick me up if you have a phone."

Not saying a thing, he handed over his cell phone.

Rouge reached into her small pocket and felt around for the slip of paper Topaz had given her with her numbers on it. It was then that she frowned. The ink was smeared from the rainwater and was now to the point that you couldn't even make anything out, except the first number.

"Shit."

Knuckles raised an eyebrow, "Is there a problem?"

"The rain totally messed up the paper I had her numbers written on."

"I see," He replied sticking a hand out to retrieve his cell phone.

The car fell silent once again, Rouge trying to wrack her brain for the other six digits to the number of her unique friend.

Turning onto a fancy driveway, the gates drew back at the push of a button as Knuckles pulled into the drive and then into the garage.

Looking about, Rouge wasn't quite sure what to do since she was in his territory.

"I have some extra clothing and a shower inside." He said simply, waiting for her to get out of the car and follow him.

"And you want me to trust that you aren't going to rape me?" Rouge said glaring.

"That is up to you. Whether you trust me or not."

Knowing at this point she really didn't have any other choice, she begrudgingly got up and followed him inside.

"How in the hell did I get myself into this predicament…" Her mind questioned as she walked up the steps and into the stately home. "Then again…maybe…maybe he'll be- different than the rest."

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Preview for next Chapter :

Of all the places Rouge thought she might end up that rainy night, the house of her intriguing caller was a possibility that never crossed her mind. But can he prove he's not just another pervert when they're all alone in that big house together- for the night?


	5. Speed Dial Affection

I have come to learn that once you peg a man as a perverted bastard, a two-timer and all those other _lovely_ stereotypes- your mind sets up a defense system against such men.

So- my boss was an asshole and next thing I know- Mr. "I communicate with shouting" was driving me to his house. Part of me was thinking- hey, he said that the other woman was just his editor, I'm soaking wet and have nowhere to go and here he is being a gentleman and taking me someplace dry. Now, the other part of me- the part I like to call "sane"- was setting off the alarms going, "Rouge, you idiot! He's lying about the girlfriend for a one-nighter he hopes to get with you. I'm sure he plans to join you in that shower he offered and those clothes will probably never come so, being the pervert he is, he'll offer his body heat to keep you warm!"

Being as I didn't exactly trust him or just about anyone else at the moment, I put myself on "high alert" and watched the bastard's every damn move. I am no weak woman and if he so much as laid a finger on me, there'd be hell to pay!

Then the ass did something completely and totally unnatural. That damned bastard that perverted sleaze that good for nothing two-timing asshole- went and proved me wrong.

----------------------------------------------------

Chapter 4: Speed Dial Affection

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Setting foot inside, Rouge froze as the situation sunk in.

"_Shit- that god damned bastard got me in his house. This has to have all been a big stunt just to get me alone. damn it all…_"

Crossing her arms over her chest, she tugged the coat further around herself, "_Hmph- he was probably enjoying the fact that my soaked clothes are sticking to my skin like this._"

Knuckles paused on noticing her strange attitude. Narrowing his eyes, he spoke, "My coat is to be hung up here."

He extended a hand to retrieve it with, but Rouge just glared.

"_Yeah, I'm hiding my body underneath this so of course you want me to take it off…_"

She was about to retort aloud when he frowned.

"And I'd like that handkerchief back as well, so I'll have to find a proper bandage for your hand," He turned, apparently having given up on the getting the coat from her.

Pausing halfway up the stairs, Knuckles looked back down at her, "I didn't go to the trouble of allowing you here just so you could create a puddle in my main hall."

"Well excuse me for being wet!" She retorted lamely, but still felt she had to say _something_ back.

Walking back down to her, he began to reach out. Rouge waited, eyes watching him carefully and when his hand strayed too close, she caught him by a firm grasp around his wrist, "I'd prefer if you didn't touch me," She spat out.

Knuckles frowned, "Your shoulder. It wasn't injured earlier."

She blinked, taken aback by the comment, "How did you…"

"You flinched," He let out a slight sigh of exasperation, "I suppose you'll want something for the pain."

Not waiting for her to reply, Knuckles walked past her towards the kitchen. Rouge just stared, thrown off completely by the way he was acting and how perceptive he seemed to be.

Distracting herself by looking about, she noted the adjoining rooms- a dinning room, a living room, a library and a room next to it that was assumed to be a study. What caught her attention though was not how expensive the furnishings were, but how unused they seemed.

------------------------------

In the kitchen, Knuckles opened a cabinet and pulled out a small bottle of medicine, "_Troublesome woman. Not a bit of gratitude!_"

His frown deepened as he pulled out a glass and waited for the faucet's water to fill it up.

"_Why did I bring her here anyway?_"

Mulling it over in his mind, he didn't realize that the water had begun to overflow.

Stopping it and ridding the glass of the excess he made his conclusion, "_She's different… Very…different. Spiteful wench she is…_" He finished, noting the white mark on his wrist from where she'd held him back.

Shrugging it off that the woman intrigued him and that it was completely normal and had no implications of any kind, whatsoever; Knuckles returned to where Rouge stood in the main hall.

-------------------------------

Seeing that he had indeed gone to get her something for pain, the white-furred bat girl felt a slight bit bad about her attitude so far, and despite the fact she wasn't sure it was the best idea, she tried to start up a conversation.

"So…you live in this huge house all alone?"

"Is there a problem with that?" He replied.

"No…I just thought you'd be…" She paused, then finished, "lonely."

His eyebrow quirked up and he looked to her as if he didn't even know the definition of such a word.

"Then again, I'd rather be alone than stuck with my boss…"

"I'm assuming he was the reason you were out in the rain trying to get yourself killed?"

"That's putting it mildly."

Handing over the bottle and the glass of water, he waited.

She studied them both, and on seeing nothing strange, took two pills and handed the bottle and glass back.

He sat it on a nearby end table and leveled her with a stern gaze.

"I'm really not fond of the puddle you are intent on creating on my floor!"

"_Well- he is being nice…err…nice for him. Perhaps I can humor him on this…I am really cold…_"

Leveling a glare in return, she retorted, "Okay, I get the damned point."

Pulling off the coat, she roughly held it out in his direction. After he hung it up, he once again made for the stairs.

"The towels are upstairs," He said, going up a few steps and pausing.

Figuring with the way she was shivering there wasn't another choice, she slowly followed.

"What's the girl's name?" Knuckles questioned abruptly.

"What?"

"The one you wanted to call."

"Oh Topaz…"

"Topaz…?" He paused, waiting for a last name to be filled in.

Rouge froze, she'd always just known her as Topaz and in the week she'd known the spunky girl, the issue of a last name had never come up.

"I…I don't know."

Knuckles raised an eyebrow and opened the door to one of the few rooms upstairs.

"I see," He finally replied, "We'll attend to that matter later then."

Rouge followed, pausing in the doorway, "It's his bedroom. I can't…"

Opening another door, which she concluded, was the master bath; he entered, coming back out with a towel.

Tensing, Rouge watched as he walked back over to her, and extended the towel out to her reach, "There's more in there. I'll be downstairs."

With that and not a word more, he went past her and back down the stairs.

"Well damn he's confusing…" She muttered looking down to the towel in her hands. Part of her hesitated moving but the chill that was overcoming her soaked form won out and she finally went in and entered the bathroom.

Pulling the door closed behind her, she frowned on noting the lack of a lock. Deciding the nearby clothes hamper would serve her purpose as a barricade, she placed it in front of the door and hoped it was heavy enough.

Stripping the clothes from her body, she paused on seeing her reflection in the mirror.

"Shit- I look like a drowned ghost…"

About to remark on her paled state further, a more serious expression took hold as she noticed the large bruise on her shoulder.

"Damn him…" She seethed, gently touching the bruise and flinching as she did.

With a sigh and a shake of her head, she got into the shower and turned the water on; letting its warmth and steam penetrate her chilled body.

---------------------------------

Knuckles, on the other hand, had just returned upstairs, a bundle of clothing under his arm. Reaching his door, he frowned on noting the damp area outside of it.

"_How long did she stand here thinking about moving before going in?_"

Shaking his head, he walked over to the bathroom door and was just about to reach for the door when the phone rang.

Retrieving the receiver from the nearby nightstand, Knuckles simply spoke, "Yes?"

"Knuckles," The voice intoned.

Recognizing it right away, the red-furred echidna replied, "Hello, Vector."

"Was I disturbing something?" He questioned, hearing the shower running in the background.

"No."

"It's not like you to be wasteful of water."

"It's not being wasted."

Vector the crocodile raised an eyebrow, "And being as both Cream and Sonic are here at the main house, might you explain how that might be?"

"Why don't you ask my idiot half-friend about what he did to my speed dial," Knuckles growled.

Looking down the hallway, the elder crocodile called out, "Sonic!"

"What Vector?" The blue hedgehog asked coming out of his room.

"What did you do to Knuckles' speed dial?"

The young hedgehog frowned, and muttered, "Well it's not like he'd actually get anything out of…"

"Sonic."

"I set it to a phone sex line as a joke. I mean, it's not like he's the type to go for anything like that," Sonic said with a shrug, crossing his arms.

Frowning, Vector began to piece things together, "Knuckles- is there a woman currently using your shower?"

Being as it was his friend, he had no choice but to reply, "You would be correct in making that assumption, Vector."

A smirk lit on the elder crocodile's face, "Vanilla," He called out, waiting until the rabbit woman came around the corner.

"Yes dear?"

"Aren't you keeping some scrapbook thing about our friends?"

"Yes, I am. Why do you ask?"

"It should be to note then, that Knuckles has finally acquired a woman in his presence."

"Is that all?" Knuckles questioned, irritation very evident in his tone.

"Just wanted to see how things went with your editor," He explained.

"They went."

Knowing that meant no progress, Vector replied, "Well perhaps this new lady friend will help you loosen up some, Knuckles. I'll call in the morning with the company report."

Not in the mood to address the situation behind why Rouge was in his house, Knuckles muttered, "Understood."

With that, he hung up the phone and went back to his prior task.

------------------------------------

Rouge was enjoying the warm water cascading down her body; simply relaxing like she rarely could at home. That's when the sound of the doorknob rattling caught her ears.

"_He wouldn't dare…_"

But sure enough, the door's movement continued as the hamper was slowly being pushed back.

Rouge glared at the movement; quickly snatching up the bottle of shampoo. She stood, curtain pulled to where she couldn't be seen but poised and ready to attack nonetheless. Gripping the bottle tighter, she pulled her arm back and let it fly at the sight of his red fur sticking in through the doorway.

The bottle fell to the ground, leaving a set of violet eyes glaring at her, "That really wasn't necessary!"

"And you spying on me in the shower, is?"

"If you want to stay in your wet attire- that is up to you!"

Rouge processed that and realized that he was offering dry clothes. Not about to apologize, but not wanting to make him leave her with her wet clothes, she replied, "Well, you could have at least knocked."

"And you could have been a bit more considerate!" He retorted, shutting the door.

Peeking out from behind the curtain, she noted a pile of clothes sitting atop the hamper.

"_He really was… just leaving clothes…_" She thought, her mind in a slight state of shock that that's all it was.

Turning off the water, she stepped out and wrapped a towel about herself. Instinctively pushing the hamper back in front of the door, she began to dry herself off. Using another towel to dry her undergarments as best as she could, she pulled those on and then reached for the clothes that Knuckles had left for her. Pausing she held them up and looked them over: red silk pajamas, a loose button up shirt and matching pants.

Almost as if Knuckles could read her thoughts from where he sat in bed protecting the emerald, he spoke up, "If you've got an aversion to silk then just get back into your own clothes. All the rest was too large for you."

Inspecting them closer, Rouge noted the embroidered "KE" on the pocket and concluded that they must have been Knuckles' when he was younger. Even though her mind protested it, she pulled them on and slowly opened the bathroom door.

She took two steps forward and paused, quietly speaking, "The beauty school is probably closed by now and I…couldn't remember the number anyway."

"I see you finally took my handkerchief off," He said, standing. Walking past her and into the bathroom, he returned with a roll of gauze, "Are you right handed?"

Rouge blinked, "Why the hell does it matter if…"

"You can't attend to a wound with your hand if that's the hand injured."

She paused, "Yes…I'm right handed."

He gestured to a nearby chair and after a moment's hesitation, she complied, still unsure what to think of him and his actions.

"The hand?" He said, waiting.

Looking to the scrapes on her legs from kicking the tree along with the injuries from Eggman, and slight blistering from the hot liquid, she sat the injured hand out on her knee.

"I see you didn't take very good care of this after the incident."

"My boss doesn't always put me in a very good mood," She said, an underlying tone of irritation that he was prying.

"So you kicked a tree then."

"How in the hell did you…" She started to panic, wondering if he'd been stalking her.

"Splinters give it away."

Looking to where he pointed, she too noticed the small splinter embedded in her leg.

"Don't move."

She started to protest, but he'd already pinched the skin and pulled the offending piece of wood out.

"Shit!" Rouge cursed.

"I'll take that as a thank you," Knuckles said with a frown as he wrapped the hand.

"Why are you doing this anyway?" She demanded.

Knuckles blinked, for a slight moment caught a bit off guard.

"I don't know," He muttered standing and returning to his bed.

Rouge looked after him, just as equally perplexed as to all that was happening.

She shakily stood, then glanced down to her hand; lifting it gently and cradling it with her other.

"Are you going to stand there all night?" Knuckles questioned from behind his emerald.

Realizing that he did intend for her to stay in his house since she had no means of contacting Topaz, she nervously tugged the pajamas closer so nothing too crucial accidentally showed. "It is all right for me to spend the night here, right?"

"Would I be lending you those if I intended for you to leave?"

She felt raw and uneasy, and her tough façade was diminished some, "I hate to impose like this… it's just after everything that happened today with my boss…. Well, I didn't feel like I could stay there any longer… and well…that damn bastard…"

He said nothing in reply and just returned his attention back to the emerald he held.

"Um…" She spoke up after a minute, "Where am I to sleep?"

"Here." He replied nonchalantly, not looking up from his emerald as he pulled back the covers next to him.

Rouge looked to him, then to the space left on the bed. Sure, it was a king sized bed and he was all the way on the other side, but who the hell did he think she was!

"Hey! Just because I got stuck with that stupid job doesn't mean I'm some easy bitch who'll just sleep with anyone!" She exclaimed crossing her arms.

Looking up from the emerald, he leveled her with a sincere glare. Well, as sincere a glare one could get from him that is.

"I only have one bed." The room fell quiet, before he continued, "Unless you expect me to sleep in the chair!" He growled.

"Uh…no…" She turned away, then slowly walked over- knowing that even the living room had no sofa that would suit her and berating herself for getting into this mess in the first place. "_Damnit, here I am with a guy I barely know and he expects me to sleep in the same bed with him and trust him? What the hell does he take me for? An idiot?_" Her thoughts paused, thinking back on what she knew about him, "_Then again, he is the only one of my callers that just talked to me… if you could consider that talking. And he didn't try anything when we had lunch together… maybe he's not some asshole of a male after all._"

Finally resigning herself to the situation, Rouge slowly walked over and sat on the edge of the bed. Lying as close to the opposing edge as she could, she closed her eyes and waited, "_If he makes one move, I swear I'll kick his ass and hang him by his fur…_"

A slight rustle and she couldn't help but tense. Peeking out of the corner of her eye, she could see him reaching a hand over in her direction and before he knew it, she'd snapped up and forcefully grabbed him by the wrist, leveling him with a stern glare.

"Waiting for me to let my guard down, eh? Maybe I should break your wrist for trying to trick me into this you damn..."

"I didn't know pulling up the blankets of one who was chilled was an offense punishable by death!" He retorted, glaring back.

For a few moments the two did nothing but glare at each other, until with a 'hmph' Rouge turned back and yanked the covers up over herself. "I can take care of myself. I don't need some man helping me, thank you very much!" She fumed, waiting for him to fight back.

Instead, the bedside lamp was turned off and she could hear him lying down, the room becoming silent.

With a satisfied smirk that she'd properly told him off, she pulled the blankets up a bit more when a loud firm voice caught her ears.

"If you can take care of yourself, then deal with your boss, yourself!"

Body tensing in anger, she grabbed up the pillow beneath her head and lunged in the general direction of the voice, only to feel the grip on her arm, and her fur brushing against someone else's face as the pillow was pried from her hands.

"What are you…"

"This childish behavior isn't necessary. Go to sleep." He spoke, his breath warming her still-chilled face and alerting her to how close they actually were.

"You're the one holding me." She retorted.

"And I don't see you struggling much to pull away."

"…. I hate you," Rouge muttered.

"Then why are you in my house?" He questioned.

She sighed in irritation, and began to pull away, intent on trying to sleep. Then it hit her, "You took my pillow."

"Can't have you attacking me with my own furnishings."

"Where am I supposed to lay my damn head?"

He didn't reply.

"Damn you, I have half a nerve to…to…"

"To what?" He asked, voice giving off a slight air of amusement.

Rouge smirked. He thought he was so smart, but he wouldn't expect this, "Fine, if you take my pillow… then I guess this will have to do."

She laid her head down on his chest, expecting him to move, flinch, push her away, or at least say something.

"Well?" She inquired.

"Just don't drool on me." He replied as if nothing was wrong at all.

About to fight back yet again, Rouge stopped when she felt his hand pulling the blankets up over them both.

"_What's with this guy?_" Her mind thought, "_He's…he's not like those other assholes. He's… well, a gentleman. A hotheaded, underhandedly arrogant, smug gentleman, but…a gentleman nonetheless._" She paused, and added, "_An attractive gentleman too._" And with those thoughts sorted out, she fell asleep.

-------------------------------------------

Preview for next Chapter :

It's bad enough that Rouge has a huge bruise on her shoulder and an injured hand and leg. She definitely didn't need to hurt that hand further by using it to slap the person who was occupying the same bed as her when she woke up. And needless to say, he wasn't too happy that she did it either.


	6. Wrong End Of The Reciever

For a woman my age, it might seem strange to say, but I have rarely ever been that close to a man that I could feel their heartbeat thrumming in my ears. Hell, thanks to my ass of a boss, I can't even get within a mile of another man or he'll get upset.

Put simply, as much as I'd love to rip the man's head off and roll it down the street, it's not wise to anger my boss. But since that bastard is smart enough only to screw with my mind and once in awhile cause a piece of furniture to hit me, it's always easily written off as an accident or me trying to commit suicide. Even so, I don't feel comfortable being that close to anyone. My mind has gotten to the point that I find myself panicking when someone simply places their hand on my shoulder.

Given all this, I was confused as hell as I laid there on this guy's bed, his chest being used as my pillow. Not only had I never once figured I'd get myself into anything close to this damn predicament, but…I wasn't panicking, even when he pulled the covers up over us both.

Then again, when I woke up the next morning, I suppose I made up for the lack of panic the night before…

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Chapter 5: On the Wrong End of the Receiver

--------------------------------------------------------

Rouge shifted, her body slowly beginning to bring itself out of sleep when she registered that her 'pillow' was warmer than a standard pillow was. Squinting an eye open, she glanced out to discern her location.

"Silk pajamas, heartbeat, buff chest…red fur…"

Processing all of that, she remembered the prior day in a rush, coming to a semi-coherent conclusion.

"You damned bastard!" She screamed, landing a sound slap across Knuckles' face.

Quickly sitting up, her bandaged hand registered the pain caused by using it in such a manner, "Shit…."

"That was a rather unusual way to wake up someone," Knuckles muttered with a glare, bringing a hand up to the corner of his lips and wiping the trail of blood off. "She certainly hits hard when she means it…"

Rouge, having fully awoken by now, looked between her hand and the one she'd hit with said hand. Standing slowly, she made for the bathroom, mumbling under her breath, "Um…let me get you…something…for that…"

Once back inside the confines of the small room, she shut the door and slumped back against it.

"Why the hell did I do that?" The dull-ache of the bruise on her shoulder answered, "He's not Eggman. He wouldn't have hurt me."

Her thoughts screeched to a halt, "Wait a second. Why am I so certain that he…" Her thoughts ran silent as she was at a loss as to why she seemingly trusted this man.

Before she could find an answer though, a voice came through the door.

"Rouge."

She waited for him to continue, and when he didn't, she spoke up, "…yes?"

"Did you forget how to use the sink?"

Letting that process in her mind, it registered that she was supposed to be getting something for the injury she'd caused to him.

"I'm…getting it, just a second," She retorted, letting her irritation at her own thoughts seep into her voice.

Taking a washcloth, she let the cool water run over it for a moment then rang out the excess. Opening the door, she came face to face with Knuckles.

"…. Here." Rouge said, extending her hand out so he could take the washcloth from her.

Knuckles took it and slowly lifted it to the white mark on his face. His thoughts also trying to decide what was going on, "First that bruise, now this. Forget it. Her life is not my business."

Hanging her head and still trying to put herself at ease, Rouge flinched when she felt his hand on her shoulder.

"Being as I'm such a terrible pervert. You are awfully lackadaisical," He said with a slightly amused look due to her surprised expression as he pulled the sleeve of the pajamas back up.

Subconsciously she placed her hand on the shoulder the moment his hand retreated; glaring at him yet tinged with confusion she retorted, "Why?"

"Why what?" He asked, eyebrows furrowing in thought.

"Why did you let me come here? Why let me stay in your house? You aren't exactly a people person I can tell, so why the hell was I the exception!" She yelled back, her frustration building.

Knuckles blinked, her question probing the depths of his mind for the answer that wasn't there.

"What I do. Is my prerogative."

Rouge growled, "Why do you have to be so- so- so you?"

The two stood staring and glaring at one another for some time before Knuckles spoke up,

"If you don't mind, I have to get ready for work."

Furious and determined to get her answer, she grabbed him by his arm, "Tell me why!"

He narrowed his eyes, "And why did you let me?"

She slowly withdrew her hand.

"I…I don't know…"

"People don't always act with ulterior motives," He replied walking past her into the bathroom.

Rouge stared at the closed door, "Then…what are we acting on?"

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Staring into the bathroom mirror, Knuckles assessed the damaged Rouge's "attack" had done to his face. He was not narcissistic, but still felt he had a reputation to uphold when in the presence of his employees.

"Why did she strike me?" He pondered, his thoughts once again going back to her bruise and the issues she'd mentioned in regards to her boss. Frowning on realizing the situation, he cast a sideways glance towards the door, "So if she doesn't listen to him…"

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Rouge looked about the room, her eyes catching sight of the paper work he'd had with him the day before.

Curiosity getting the best of her, she walked over to look at it.

"The Guardian Of The Master Emerald…hmm, strange name for a novel," Flipping a few pages she skimmed the text, "No wonder that editor is mad at him. This is boring. Who wants to read about some echidna guy wandering around Angel Island for chapter after chapter kill things and fight with his rival?"

Coming to a page that had been folded in two and crossed out, Rouge squinted trying to read the text there.

"He was an evil being, intent on manipulating anyone he could. The great echidna had fallen for one of his schemes in the past, and had no intentions of doing so again. But this great evil was not something that could easily be defeated. He always escaped when he could, leaving his robots to handle his problems and do his dirty work. With a cruel smirk, the incarnate of evil himself was clearly plotting yet another attempt to retrieve the emerald for himself. It was then that…"

The text stopped; the rest of the page blank aside from the large 'X' that marked through the entire thing.

Rouge remarked to herself, "Evil incarnate? Sounds like Eggman…If that's the case, then he was probably about to order his employee off to do his dirty work yet again..."

An amused smirk alighting on her face, she snatched up a pen from the nearby end table, "It's just a page he cut from his draft anyway…it wouldn't hurt. I'll just throw it out and he won't even miss it…" She reasoned as she took the liberty of adding to where he'd left off.

"It was then that the door opened, revealing a young bat girl with white fur and aqua eyes. She held a…" Rouge paused, thinking over a suitable yet interesting weapon, "She held a gun in her hand- a gun that could shoot lasers. 'Doctor? What is that you wish?' She asked, her voice remaining formal yet holding a condescending tone to it. 'I need more power before the emerald can be mine. I want you to go to the master emerald guardian and take his powerful emerald from him.' The woman frowned, having seen the man he spoke of before, and not wishing to do the man any harm, 'But doctor,' she began to protest, but she fell short as a red jewel appeared in the evil man's hand and he crushed it. She knew what she must do, 'It's understood. I'll go to him.' 'Good my dear. You must remember your place and that…' He looked to the red orb, 'I hold your jewels in my hands.'"

Hearing the rattle of bathroom's doorknob, Rouge quickly closed the folder around the paperwork, accidentally leaving her page there, and hastily went to sit on the edge of the bed.

Under his arm, Knuckles held the bundle of Rouge's clothing that had been drying from the rain.

"I'll have these dried while you shower." He said, walking past her and out the bedroom door.

Realizing that if she didn't at least show up at work that day, Eggman would send the police out after he like he'd done before, she decided it would be best to shower and get ready to go.

"Surely I can talk to Topaz and get something worked out. If I could just get my things packed while Eggman was distracted and get out of there…"

Walking into the bathroom and shedding the loaned pajamas she paused and regarded where they fell on the floor.

"But without the papers destroyed or me with a new legal guardian…Eggman's always got me under his thumb…" She sighed stepping into the shower and turning the water on.

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After letting the dryer go round for a bit, Knuckles figured that the clothing was dry enough and trudged back upstairs to give them back to their owner.

"Once she's out of this house- I won't have to see her or deal with her again," His thoughts paused, then to reassure himself, he continued, "It's for the best that way."

Finally reaching the door to his bedroom, he began his walk over towards the bathroom, but was once again interrupted by the phone ringing.

Looking to the clock, then to the phone, he knew already who it was and went to answer it.

"Knuckles," The voice said simply.

"Vector," He replied.

On hearing the shower once again running in the background, Vector the crocodile raised an eyebrow, "I see she's still there."

"I suppose she is."

"Is this going to be a common occurrence?"

Knuckles didn't reply, but the silence let his friend know he was frowning and most likely glaring through the receiver.

"So why is she there? Sonic was correct in noting that it's not like you to 'get something' out of such a call."

"My half-friend is an idiot who pulls childish pranks!"

"Oh. So you slept with her?" He asked, voice slightly amused and taunting.

Knuckles' frown deepened, "It depends on your definition of 'sleep.'"

"Well you only have one bed."

Slight irritation building, he replied, "That is correct."

Thoughtfully, Vector tried to decipher the situation, "She must be very intriguing."

Knowing all to well that his friend was merely trying to set him up, Knuckles suspected where this was headed, "Now he's going to try and convince me it's a romantic thing. Just watch him. Intriguing? Hmph. I find nothing intriguing about being called a perverted bastard."

His friend, meanwhile continued, "An interesting woman who dares speak her mind."

"She speaks her mind enough for her mind and my mind." Knuckles' thoughts retorted.

"But, perhaps there is something troubling her life that drove her to you."

"Not that her issues with her boss are something of my concern."

"Yet, she is very different, so it wouldn't hurt to give her a chance."

"Wouldn't hurt? My face begs to differ!" Knuckles thought, regarding the shampoo bottle the night before and the slap that morning.

"And deep down, man- you probably find yourself attracted to her, yet you deny it and try to write it off as nothing but interest in her unique character," His friend finished, his voice with an edge of persuasion to it.

Knuckles' thoughts even fell silent this time, and Vector smirked knowing he'd hit the nail on the head, "The business reports are being faxed to you now."

"What makes you presume that situation?" Knuckles inquired.

"I need to be attending to other matters," He said abruptly, then quickly added, "If you must know though. That was the circumstances under which I met Vanilla."

And with that said, he hung up leaving Knuckles' frown deepening in thought yet again.

"None of this is my concern. Not her. Not her life. Not anything about her." He thought to himself, hanging up the phone and returning to his task.

Standing at the bathroom door and planning to, like he did before, sit the clothes for Rouge to wear on the hamper; he frowned as he paused to knock.

On not hearing any answer and noting the water still running, he figured she just couldn't hear the knock over the shower and opened the door.

There stood Rouge, stepping out from the still-running shower, her head wrapped in a towel as she dried her hair off, her body dripping wet and yet to be covered.

Both froze as they realized the situation.

After a moment, it processed- Knuckles quickly shutting the door and just dodging the same bottle of shampoo that had hit him the night before.

"You damned pervert! I said to knock!" Rouge fumed, her face flushing crimson as she yanked a towel around herself.

"It's not my fault if you don't hear it when I do knock!" He yelled in reply, and hoping it didn't sound as flustered at it did to his own ears. His eyes were still a bit widened from their normal state, and despite his mental protests, his heart was racing.

"It's just the adrenaline from avoiding the bottle." He reasoned with himself.

But when Knuckles looked over at the mirror over his dresser, even he couldn't find an excuse for the very light and almost entirely unnoticeable pink hints to his normally red face.

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Preview for next Chapter :

Life was never "easy" for Rouge, and went she decides to try and get out of her house and away from Eggman, things don't go as smoothly as planned. But with Knuckles' editor and friend thinking she's a positive influence, Rouge might find out she has more people on her side than she first expected.


	7. Hold The Phone, Reality Calling

Enjoy, and please take the time to review!

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Men. How I loathe them. Despise them. Wish that they'd all up and die! Just when a tiny bit of appreciation for one made its way into my mind, he decides it's a perfect time to spy on me in the shower!

Yeah, things were going just too smoothly for it to be my life. Something just had to go wrong to set the world back in balance and my life back on the road to hell. Oh wait, my life already was hell- just look at my damned boss. And of all things- I had to face that bastard if I wanted to get any semblance of a normal day to day life back.

For once in my life, I thought things were finally going to go right. Somehow things would turn around and I could begin to look up…but no, reality hit and it hit hard. And when reality hits, what's a girl to do except hope that someone can take away the pain?

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Chapter 6: Hold the Phone, Reality Calling

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Rouge fumed, clutching the towel around her as if it was a five mile wall between her and the one her brain had just regaled to "the pervert."

Face still red from embarrassment, she noted that she still had no dry clothing to change into.

"Very funny you bastard. You either hand over my clothing now or I'm never opening this door!"

"To get you your clothing would require opening the door."

The room fell silent as Rouge processed that.

"Then put it outside the door, walk away and close your eyes." She snarled.

Not replying, he walked over and sat the clothing outside the door, then turned and closed his eyes, "There."

Slowly cracking open the door and making sure that he was indeed turned around and had his eyes closed, she quickly stuck her arm out and retrieved her clothing.

"Damned pervert," She muttered as the door closed again.

"I heard that," He replied opening his eyes.

"You were supposed to," Rouge snapped back.

"Irritating bat girl…" Knuckles muttered walking over to his drawer and pulling out his own things for the day.

"What did you say?" She said with a glare, opening the door.

"With that tone. One would think you are mad at me."

"Of course I'm mad! You just saw me naked you bastard! Wouldn't it bother you if someone walked in on you?"

"Not really," He said with a shrug as he bent to pick up the waylaid bottle of shampoo that had been receiving so much abuse as of late.

"Liar…" She said glaring as she stalked past him and sulkily sat on the bed.

Leveling her with a glare of his own, Knuckles slowly unbuttoned his pajama shirt.

"He wouldn't dare…" Rouge thought to herself.

He pulled it off and folded it and handed it over to Rouge, then proceeded to pull off his pants and his boxers, hand them over to her and walk into the bathroom.

"I'm taking a shower." He said, picking up his clothing and the shampoo and shutting the bathroom door behind him.

Rouge blinked, haven gotten quite the view of the red-furred echidna, and finally muttered, "Well that damn bastard…"

Shaking her head of it, she wished it and the blush she knew tainted her face away.

Trying to distract herself, she noted the items now in her lap.

"Silk pajamas, silk boxers- silk silk silk…"

"Is everything he owns silk?" She pondered aloud.

Having heard it, he retorted, "The towels aren't!"

"Oh- so what are they? Some silk-cotton blend?" She remarked with a smirk.

"Two can play his stupid riddling game…"

"I wouldn't know for certain. The last dry one in the house is on your head!"

"Well excuse my hair for being wet!"

"Dryer. Downstairs!"

She paused, "Excuse me?"

"Unless you want me to drip dry in the open air. I suppose you'll have to retrieve a towel for me!"

Standing with a huff, she sat down his pajamas and stormed towards the door, "Well fine then."

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Returning upstairs after retrieving the towels, Rouge walked over and pounded on the bathroom door.

On not getting an answer, she frowned, "I'm knocking you bastard!"

"I never said you had to!"

"Oh shut up," She fumed, "Are you still in the shower or not?"

"The water is still running isn't it!" He shouted matter-of-factly.

"That doesn't mean anything," Rouge retorted, realizing that her predicament earlier had been due to that.

"Only if you're you!" Knuckles replied, a light air of amusement to it.

"Shove it!"

She opened the door and stuffed the towels in.

"There's your damned towels. I hope you're happy."

"Ecstatic!" He replied, his voice as hotheaded as ever.

A few moments later he emerged, clad in his business suit and adjusting his tie.

"I'm going to work. I'll drive you," He said, picking up his paperwork.

Rouge stood from where she sat on the bed and followed him downstairs in silence.

Pausing at the base of the stairs, he leveled her with a gaze.

Rouge blinked, not sure what to read of what little emotions the man showed….the only thing she could figure out was that he seemed perplexed as what to say.

"I want to clear up one issue."

"Yes?"

"I am not a 'perverted bastard.' And," He began cutting her off, "if I was, don't you think I would have taken advantage of the situations that were put forth?"

Realizing he was right and hating herself for admitting that, she looked away and grumbled, "Fine."

That resolved, he opened the front door and ushered her out.

"It's going to be extremely quiet without her in the house." He paused, "I like extreme quiet."

--------------------------------

Once seated in the car, he pulled out of the garage and driveway.

"Where am I to take you?" He said, looking over to her.

"Huh?"

"Your house? Work?"

Rouge frowned, then realized that work would be the best bet, "Work, I suppose."

He paused, then remarked, "I won't be calling again."

"Very funny," She glared, "And for your information, I'm only going because that way I can get in contact with Topaz."

"And your boss?"

"Is still on the 'to-kill' list," She shot back.

The car went silent until he merged onto the main street.

"Directions?"

"What?"

"To your business establishment. If you could call it that."

She glared, then begrudgingly replied, "Turn right up there then straight 'til you see mushroom Hill Boulevard. Its building sixty-seven."

Nodding, Knuckles mentally made note of the places to turn.

The rest of the drive occurred in silence, until his cell phone rang.

"Yes?"

"Hey Knux, so what's this I hear about a woman spending the night at your house?"

His eyes narrowed as he turned the corner, "Julie-Su. I'm assuming Vector spoke with you."

"Called me up especially to ask if I'd seen anything different in your writing since you met this gal. So I told him about my lovely encounter with you two at the café."

"Delightful." He muttered in sarcasm.

"I have to agree with him though, Knuckles. The fact you took her in last night shows that you're opening up. This could not only improve your writings, but your social life."

Watching the streets as they passed, he didn't even choose to remark on that comment.

"Knux, you should turn this whole encounter into a story. Think of it- A closed-hearted business man's heart melted by a lone girl who comes to him by matter of circumstance."

"I could go to the bookstore and buy about fifty books with that very scenario," He retorted.

"Well I'd best get going. See you later today," She paused, "Oh and bring me something."

"Why?"

"Because I'm helping improve your lack of love life."

"Right," He said clicking the 'end' button and pocketing the phone.

Looking about at the buildings he pulled over in front of one, "There."

Rouge looked up to the building then back to him, inwardly she was fighting with herself over what to say to him.

"Say 'Thank you.' Say 'It was a great help.' Say 'I'm sorry for the trouble I caused.' Say something!"

"I…" She paused, then muttered, "Okay. So you aren't some perverted bastard."

Knuckles regarded her statement, then replied, "And you have a deadly aim with a shampoo bottle."

Glaring, she was about to retort when he continued.

"I accept your apologies. Thank yous. And whatever other nonsense you wanted to spout to me."

Standing she walked over to the sidewalk, and without a word watched as he pulled away.

"Goodbye…" She whispered more to herself than anyone.

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Entering the building, she spotted a familiar blonde-haired girl at the end of the hallway.

"Topaz!" She called out making her way towards her friend.

"Rouge!" The girl paused, "Hey weren't you wearing that yesterday?"

"It's a very long story," She sighed thinking back on it all.

"Okay, but you're telling me when the lines aren't busy."

"Well actually…if you could Topaz, I have a favor to ask."

"What's that?"

"I want to get out of my house for good, so I thought- Eggman goes to pick up Bokum from school about 3:30 I could sneak in and out then."

"You want me to cover for you here?"

"If you could."

"Sure thing, it's only thirty minutes. No one should notice."

"And um…Topaz?"

The girl looked up from the strings in her hands, "Yeah?"

"I know I can't stay with you due to your bitchy landlady, but I might want to give you some of my stuff to store, so…can you meet me someplace?"

"Oh my, well I have to be at the beauty school for night class at six."

"What about as soon as you get off work here, you meet me…at say, the café on Third Street," She suggested, not realizing the location she subconsciously picked.

"Works for me. Now, what happened last night?"

The hours passed as Rouge proceeded to tell her friend about the various events of the preceding day. As 3:30 neared, Topaz wished her friend the best of the luck as she ventured home to gather her things.

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Opening the door to her home slowly, Rouge snatched up her purse of the side table then began to head upstairs for her room.

Heart racing, her thoughts were a blur.

"Just gotta grab what I can and get out."

Digging around in her closet, she began to throw what she could onto her bed, not noticing the looming figure in the doorway until it was too late.

"Welcome home- Rouge," He intoned; his voice ominous and mocking.

She froze; eyes wide.

"No! He shouldn't be home. Not now!"

"Thought you could sneak in while I was out, eh? Too bad, Rouge. I'm smarter than that."

Closing her eyes and wishing it was all a nightmare, she heard his footsteps drawing near and she tensed even more.

"Then again, if my darling employee has found herself a man, perhaps I should give her the proper send off."

Turning towards her impending fate, Rouge was only able to gasp in horror as the champagne bottle her boss held shattered against her side.

Doubling over in pain, she fell to her knees.

"Damn…"

"Oh is that what you and that man were doing last night?" Eggman's deep voice questioned as he reached down and yanked her up to her feet, "Tell me Rouge. What were you doing?"

She coughed; her breathing harsh. Then mustering what strength she had left, she pulled back her right arm and punched him as hard as her injuries would allow in the stomach.

Using his moment of pain and surprise as her remaining chance, she grabbed up a handful of clothing from the bed and her purse and bolted for the door.

"You bitch!" He fumed, storming after her.

Rounding the corner, she raced down the stairs and flung open the front door.

"Just keep running. Don't look back…"

Furious, Eggman snatched a book off the nearby shelf and hurled it towards her.

It hit her back and she tumbled forward on the front steps as he drew closer behind her.

"Shit…I can't let him get hold of me again. I can't…"

Struggling to pull herself up, she saw him behind her and knowing she had to deter him, gave a kick to his leg before making it to her feet and running off down the street.

And she kept running until she was completely certain she wasn't being followed.

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Her side aching, her back throbbing and certain she still had glass shards in her skin, she found herself wandering towards the café.

Out front, the young waiter was cleaning off tables when he saw her form walking towards the eatery.

"Oh goodness! Miss!" He dropped the tray he was holding, letting it clatter to the ground as he ran over to help Rouge. "There's a bathroom in back… I'll get you a first aid kit," Tails said bracing her.

"Thanks kid."

Having used the entire gauze roll to bandage up her side, and a few bandages on her leg and arm, Rouge changed out of her now ruined dress into one of the few she managed to grab up.

"Only two dresses and a few bras and pairs of underwear…that's all I've got now…"

Gathering her few remaining items she made her way back out.

Seeing her finally emerging, Tails pulled a chair out for her and helped her sit down.

"Are you okay, Miss? What happened?"

"It's a long story kid…"

"Here," He said offering her an ice pack, "You…um…have a bit of a bruise on your forehead."

Rouge arched an eyebrow up, and winced feeling just the bruise he spoke of. Taking the ice pack from him, she pressed it to the injury.

"Thanks. Can I get something to drink?"

"Sure. What do you want?"

"Since I don't have much cash, I suppose water will do."

"Tails. A cappuccino for her," A familiar voice intoned.

Rouge blinked and slowly turned towards the figure behind her, her hand loosing its grip on the ice pack as she confirmed her suspicions as to whom it was.

"Knuckles…."

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Preview for next Chapter :

Rouge got a dose of reality in the most painful of forms, but when the café's usual customer shows back up, perhaps she'll finally have someone to turn to.


	8. Repairing Broken Wires

As always- please, read, review and enjoy

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There are certain things a boss should never inflict on his employees- a champagne bottle being one of them, not that it stopped Eggman any. Given my situation, I'm sure any sane person would have been headed towards the nearest hospital or doctor's office, but I knew better. I knew the second I set foot in any legal health establishment that Eggman would waltz his way in, slap down his damned guardianship paperwork and then take me home to "nurse me back to health with his loving care." What a oad of bullshit that is…

Well since there was no way in hell I was going to let all this pain go to waste only to be dragged back home, I somehow found myself wandering towards the café I told Topaz to meet me at. Sure she's got a bitch of a landlady and two wild roommates, but I knew she wouldn't let me down given my current crappy condition.

Now of course my day was not going as planned, but the last thing that I would have ever guessed would happen- did. None other than Mr. hothead himself showed up at the café and I think it finally sunk in- I couldn't fight my boss alone.

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Chapter 7: Repairing Broken Wires

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Rouge stared in shock as her brain registered that the guy standing behind her was indeed the real thing and not just an illusion of her shaken mind.

"Knuckles…" The ice pack she held slipped from her grasp and fell to the ground as she continued, "What…what are you doing here?"

He stooped down and picked it up, "Is it illegal for me to dine here now?"

"No…it's just that…" She paused when he pressed the cold ice back onto the bruise.

"I doubt that injury was from punching a tree."

Averting her eyes, she muttered in reply, "I just… tripped down some stairs…"

"Unlikely. So he hit you aside from bruising your shoulder?"

Rouge closed her eyes, wishing the whole situation would just go away.

"Rouge." Knuckles continued, taking a chair at the table and sitting down.

"What? Damn you! I don't want to talk about it! You're the bastard who said I should just stand up to him, and look what happens to me when I just go into my own house!"

He frowned, his mind processing the situation at hand.

"Her boss must be more powerful and vindictive than I first estimated."

"What the hell are you doing here anyway!" She fumed, her bottled anger needing an outlet.

"Julie-Su will be here soon."

Realizing he was there due to his editor, she quietly replied, "But it's only…"

"I meet her at 4:15 on Fridays."

The table fell silent as Rouge absorbed herself in stirring the cappuccino Tails had just sat in front of her.

"A champagne bottle, I presume?" Knuckles inquired after a moment.

She blinked, almost dropping her drink in shock, "How…how did you…"

He nodded in the direction of the stained and shredded dress at her feet, "The stain."

Hanging her head, she dropped her hand to the table, clenching the ice pack in her fist.

Once again, silence fell between the two but this time it was interrupted by another.

"Rouge! My god, what happened!" Topaz spoke up, rushing over to her friend.

"Hey Topaz," She muttered weakly in reply.

Glaring at Knuckles, the spunky blonde-haired beautician made a fist, "If this bastard hurt you I'll scalp him, then…."

"Topaz…"

"Then mount his head on a pike…"

"Topaz."

"Then use his red fur to test food coloring on!"

"Topaz!"

"What?"

"It wasn't him," Rouge said simply.

"So this…is Topaz," Knuckles remarked.

The girl stood protectively between him and Rouge, leaning forward with her hands firmly on her hips as she studied him.

"Oh my, Rouge- was this that guy that called the other day?"

"Yes."

"Aw, so he came to help you since you got hurt- that's so sweet!" She playfully bounded over and ruffled his dreadlocks.

Knuckles quirked an eyebrow up at her, and spoke, "I'd like my hair to stay on my head."

"Well aren't we the man of the town?" Julie-Su remarked as she walked up, "Two for the price of one, eh?" She paused on seeing Rouge's injures, "Knuckles! I know that sometimes one wants to play rough, but don't you think that's taking it a bit far?"

He leveled her with a glare.

"It wasn't him, right Rouge?" Topaz stated.

"No. He didn't do anything wrong," Rouge muttered.

"Was…it your boss?" The short-blonde haired girl said, pulling over a chair and sitting beside her friend.

She nodded slightly.

"Knuckles. You should attend to this lady's injuries at once," A firm voice spoke up from behind them.

Looking up, Knuckles regarded him, "Vector."

Rouge glanced up, and blinked. It was the same crocodile she'd seen the other day with the young bunny girl and the other bunny woman.

"How progresses the novel, Julie-Su?" He continued, turning to the editor.

"Well, let me see…" She walked over and picked up the paperwork Knuckles had sat in front of him.

"Rouge, you want me to put in your resignation at work? If you're away from your boss then you won't have to work there anymore," Topaz said, trying to console her friend's wounded pride.

"I suppose…he'd just track me there…but I do need a job so I can get someplace to stay…"

"This is a goldmine, Knuckles! You've finally got it!" Julie-Su exclaimed as she read over the pages.

The writer in question just quirked an eyebrow, he hadn't done anything different than before. As for Rouge and Topaz, they both turned their attention to where Julie-Su and Vector stood reading over the papers.

After thoughtfully regarding the written page, the elder crocodile turned and looked between Knuckles and Rouge.

"Man."

"Vector?"

"You are to take this young woman into your home. She will be taking the position of your secretary since your last one just quit."

Rouge's eyes went wide, "Excuse me!"

Knuckles' eyebrows just furrowed a bit more.

"Young lady. I am uncertain as to what has caused the situation you are in, but apparently your influence on my son has enabled him to finally get his novel headed in the right direction. You said you needed a job. And from what I pick up, you also need a place to stay. Correct?"

"Well yes but…"

"It is settled. Knuckles, please escort her home now and attention to her injuries."

"Vector!" He yelled standing.

The elder crocodile raised an eyebrow.

"Where is she to stay in my home?"

"In your room, of course. We can have another room set up, but that will take some time."

Knuckles frowned again, yet he respected his friend too much to disagree.

"Rouge. Let's go."

"Knuckles…" She shakily stood, the whole situation seeming surreal.

Rouge turned to Topaz, unsure what to do in this strange situation.

Snatching up one of Knuckles' waylaid pens and a napkin, the blonde-haired girl scrawled down some numbers.

"That's my apartment number and the beauty school. If you need anything, don't hesitate to call me," She said shoving the napkin into Rouge's hand.

"Topaz…"

She braced herself on the table, her side still bleeding to some extent and the gauze not stopping it as much as it should.

"Go on, Rouge. Just give him a chance. His hair's extremely smooth…. And you know what that means," She whispered to her friend.

Rouge smiled slightly, remembering Topaz's vow to get a man with smooth hair because according to her- that was the best catch you could get.

It was then that Rouge felt a hand on her shoulder.

Behind her stood Knuckles, his expression the same as he had held almost the entire time- mad yet with a very slight edge of something else to his usually angry nature.

"How much is she bleeding from this? And she's been sitting here talking the entire time? Idiotic woman."

"I said- let's go," He stated slowly gathering her up into his arms, much to her dismay.

"What the hell are you doing?"

"You expect to walk in your condition?"

"Hmph, I thought I was supposed to take care of things myself!" She retorted.

"And I thought I told you there's a difference between dependency and codependency," He replied, picking up her small bundle of belongings with his free hand.

Rouge fell silent then, her mind unwillingly bringing back up the fact he'd helped her in out of the rain the night before.

Making his way over to his car, he sat her in the passenger seat and went around to his side.

Back over at the table, Julie-Su paused, "Hmm, I just noticed- this new part has different hand writing. It's much improved as well. Much more legible."

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The ride to the house was in silence- that is, until Knuckles spoke up.

"I'm assuming you don't want me to take you to a hospital."

"No," Rouge replied, "He'd just find me there."

"I see."

"Why are you listening to your friend?" She asked after a moment.

"There are different types of bosses. Mine is not like yours."

"So you're a suck up?" She mocked.

He glared, "I respect my boss. That is all!"

And with that, the two fell silent again until they reached the house.

--------------------------------

After pulling into the garage, he went over and helped her from the car. Walking into the house, he braced her on her good side.

"The pajamas you borrowed last night should be on my bed."

"But why would I …."

"I would assume you don't want to stay in blood-stained clothing."

Rouge looked down to her side as he assisted her up the stairs, and sure enough light red stains were showing through the thin fabric.

On reaching his bedroom, he allowed her to retreat to the bathroom and once she forked over the dress, he took it to be washed.

Seeing her face in the mirror didn't make Rouge feel any better.

"I guess I'm lucky it's all from my neck and below…." She muttered wincing as her finger grazed over one of the many cuts.

Slipping the silk pajamas back on, she hugged them slightly to herself.

"It's okay Rouge. Eggman won't bother you if you're here."

"If you're changed, I would like my bathroom back!" Knuckles roared through the door, having returned upstairs.

"Fine," She said simply, picking up a roll of gauze from the first aid kit.

"And take off your shirt," He added.

"…What!" She screamed back, not yet opening the door.

"A secretary cannot fulfill her duties if her side has glass embedded in it."

"There is no way I am letting you help!"

"Your friend is at beauty school. Julie-Su would rather I do it anyway. There are no other options."

Rouge paused, realizing what choice this left her with.

"He's all I've got now. Damn perverted bastard. Damn it all."

Opening the bathroom door, she leveled him with a stern glare.

He quirked an eyebrow in return, "I've already seen you without clothing."

"Don't remind me," She spat, wincing as her movement pulled at her wounds. Continuing to glare, she stiffly handed over the gauze, "There."

Looking to the side, she reasoned with herself. It was this or the hospital and chances Eggman would trace her. And this was obviously a better choice.

"Sit," He said simply, indicating the bed.

Rouge made her way over and sat, cringing as the pain shot through her side.

He followed, then paused, "I can't attend to wounds I can't see."

She sighed, knowing he was addressing the shirt issue again.

"Damn him. Damn Eggman for this. And damn everything that caused this whole damn thing!" Her thoughts ranted as she slowly undid the top button.

"Do you have to watch, pervert?" She snapped.

He frowned, yet averted his eyes anyway.

Her shaky fingers hesitantly unclasped each button until the silk shirt hung loosely by her shoulders.

"Did you forget how to undo a button?" Knuckles muttered.

"Shove it! This is embarrassing!" She yelled back.

"There is nothing embarrassing about seeking assistance when you are unable to attend to it yourself!"

The room fell silent for a moment before he spoke again.

"This wall isn't very interesting to look at."

"It's your house," She retorted. Then, taking a deep breath and biting her lip, she let the silk fabric slide off her shoulders, "O…okay." She said meekly, her voice sounding foreign to her own ears.

He turned as if it was nothing and reached over to pick up the shirt from where it laid.

Rouge opened her mouth to speak, but was silenced by him and his actions.

Knuckles held it out to her and simply said, "If it's that troublesome to you, then you could at least use it to cover your chest with."

Taking it from him, she clutched it against herself, her eyes searching him for answers and reasons behind his abnormal actions.

Picking up the gauze, he assessed the hasty bandaging she'd done at the café.

"I hope you can be a better secretary than you are a nurse," he remarked, beginning to unbind the blood-soaked gauze.

"Excuse me for not finding it in my spare time to go to medical school," She awaited a retort, but never got one.

Having removed all the bandages, Knuckles frowned and his eyebrows furrowed in thought.

"How did she manage to walk with this?"

"What!" She snapped on seeing him studying her side.

"It's displeasing to see this is a common occurrence," He muttered, standing to retrieve a wet cloth.

Rouge blinked, "Is he…concerned? No damn way. It's got to be something else…"

Returning, he sat beside her, "Lay down on your other side."

She nodded and obliged, noticing him moving to sit behind her on the center of the bed.

Going to clean the wounds, the cold washcloth brushed against her bare skin and Rouge flinched.

"Damn! That's cold!"

"I don't want blood on my bed sheets," He replied and she fell silent.

Her thoughts ran wild as he tended to her wounds. They touched on all the things that had happened to her in the past, and how things were different with him around. And whether she liked it or not, they even briefly hinted that perhaps she was attracted to the "perverted bastard" that seemed to keep picking her up when her life was down. When it was all said and done, it was needless to say Rouge was finding it harder and harder to hate this echidna, even though- as her other thought commented, he was still a man and therefore, not to be trusted.

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Once all the shards of glass were removed from where they were lodged in the skin, he helped her sit upright, bracing her one side as he began to wrap the gauze around her.

"Knuckles?"

"Yes?"

She took a deep breath, finally speaking up, "I just… well…thank you."

His movements paused for a brief second, then he replied, "I see you finally learned some manners."

Looking up over her shoulder at him, she let a slight smile tug at the corners of her lips.

"I suppose… I did."

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Preview for next Chapter :

Now that she's "stuck" living with the mysterious caller she'd spoken to just days before,

Rouge has found herself beginning to be a little more at ease in life. But with two people not used to or not fond of company now living in the same house, and sleeping in the same room, things won't be quite as smooth as they would first seem.


	9. Establishing a Connection

Thanks again, and as always, please read and review

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Orders. It seemed like my life was always centered on following my boss's orders. But now, I was away from that asshole and I wasn't the one listening to 'anyone' anymore. No. Knuckles was the one doing as his friend had requested; which much to my surprise, ended up involving me.

But hey- I was getting a place to stay and a new job- true, it was at a cost. The cost of being stuck with Knuckles. Now at first, this irritated me. Heck- it downright pissed me off that his friend thought that I was just there to magically make Knuckles' novel into a best seller. Then again, that was my only choice. That or go home to Eggman and the pain that would go with that. I was safe and that was all that mattered.

Sometimes things happen though, that make you rethink things. Or, make you see them in a different light than before. And when it finally sunk in that I was stuck with him for good, I began to see that perhaps I wasn't the only one that was all alone in the world.

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Chapter 8: Establishing a Connection

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Rouge paused the second the words left her mouth, and she jerked her gaze off of him.

"_Why the hell am I being nice to him? He's only doing this because his friend's making him..._"

She froze on feeling his hand on her face, gently tilting her back to look at him.

Knuckles eyes narrowed on the small cut on her cheek.

"Do you want a bandage?"

Pushing him away from her, she glared, "What are you doing!"

Her deep aqua eyes flickered, and he caught the edge of panic in them.

"_Stubborn woman. Can't see the difference between someone who is concerned and someone who isn't!_" Knuckles halted his thoughts, realizing he inadvertently implied he was concerned, then quickly amended it, "_Then again- I am only dealing with this because Vector wants it._"

"I don't suppose you find it attractive to have a cut on your face like that!" He spoke up, a backward answer to her question.

Slowly raising a hand to where his had been moments before, she ran her finger over the fine cut. Wincing, she examined the fine line of blood that was now staining her fingertips.

"Oh…"

Knuckles' mind reflected on all the romantic nonsense Julie-Su had told him in an attempt to, as he put it, 'turn his novel into a piece of dime-store trash.'

"_It's simple Knuckles- with the heroine injured, the strong hero will take her in his arms and kiss away all her pain. It's got best-seller written all over it!_"

"Here," He muttered handing her the wash cloth and standing from where he sat on the bed.

"_Or you could just be a cold-hearted, romance hating, stubborn man like you always are,_" The voice of Knuckles' editor echoed in his mind. His steps slowed as he neared the bathroom, then he smirked lightly to himself, "_Change is not something I find myself growing fond of_."

Rouge watched as he retreated while bringing the bloodstained cloth to her cheek. She paused then, and withdrew the washcloth.

"_It's not cold anymore…_"

Looking back up to the figure emerging from the bathroom, she couldn't even place what that thought pertained to- the washcloth clutched in her battered hand or if perhaps, it was something else.

Stepping forward, Knuckles leveled her with a stern gaze; then before she could ask what the hell it was for, he reached out and cupped her chin in his hand.

Running a fresh cloth over the cut, Rouge could feel the coolness as the drops of excess water trailed down her neck.

But this time, it wasn't as cold as before.

Satisfied that the cut was properly cleaned, Knuckles picked up the small bandage and pressed it down over the wound.

"Perhaps if you put your mind to it- you can be sure that it's healed before you are seen with it."

Rouge glared, "Well pardon my appearance for not being worthy of being seen with you."

"It's not necessary to contort my words!" He retorted standing, "And given the fit you threw earlier I find it strange that you have yet to put your heart thing you always wear back on!"

Realizing that he was referring to the fact she had yet to pull the shirt back on, she quickly remedied that. About to stand and follow after him, he took a step back towards her.

"Since my meal at the café was interrupted- I suppose we are eating here."

"Oh, so you're cooking?" Rouge questioned, her eyes narrowed.

"I'm completely out of poisons and immobilizing drugs. Sorry to disappoint you," He remarked, a tiny edge of his sarcasm slipping into his voice.

"Bite me. I am not in the mood for you!" She snapped back.

"If it's not too complicated for you to handle. Stay here. Rest. And remain silent."

"Is that an order?" Rouge growled, about to hit him if he dared say it was.

"Advice," He stated simply, turning to leave.

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After watching him leave the room, presumably to fix whatever it was that was going to be called 'dinner,' Rouge just sat and slowly absorbed the rush of events her life had become.

"_If it didn't hurt so much, I'd swear that I would wake up from this whole nightmare._"

She paused, her eyes falling on what she took to be a family portrait sitting on the nearby dresser.

Shakily standing, she walked over and delicately lifted up the picture.

Within the confines of the photograph, Rouge's eyes caught one thing first. Knuckles standing off to the side. Alone.

He looked fairly young in the picture, his father standing aside him with a furred echidna who held a young baby in her arms.

"_Never fit in around your house, either? Well…at least your father cared about you,_" She thought bitterly.

Unbeknownst to her, Knuckles had returned with her clean clothing and was standing in the doorway, eyebrows furrowed together in thought as he watched her.

"You're just a loner in your home too, aren't you Knuckles?" Rouge remarked to the photograph, not realizing that the flesh-and-blood variant had overheard.

A brief flicker of surprise rippled across his features, as her comment drove down into the depths of his mind.

"_Alone?_" He posed it, as a question to himself, but whether he was regarding himself or the white-furred bat girl before him was uncertain.

Rouge sat the frame back on the dresser top and turned, her eyes catching sight of Knuckles looking at her, his face the usual anger with an edge of something else to it that she was beginning to grow accustomed to.

"I see you are still able to stand," He said, his voice grumpy as always.

"Knuckles…" Rouge bit her lip, not sure how much he'd heard.

"You allergic to anything?"

"What?" She blinked, thrown by the odd question as he unceremoniously handed over her clothing.

"Food," He said simply.

Knowing what he was going for, but still up for a bit of a fight, Rouge narrowed her eyes, "I thought you said you were out of poisons and drugs."

"Well perhaps I found some," He countered.

"Sorry to disappoint you, but I'm not allergic to anything or lactose intolerant so no killing me with milk, okay?"

A light air of amusement graced his features as he turned without a word and headed back downstairs for the kitchen.

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Rouge looked down at her jump suit as she put it on in the bathroom.

"_I can't believe that guy does his own laundry,_" She paused, her mind thinking back on the picture, "_Then again, if he's so stubbornly determined to remain by himself it's no wonder that he has to take care of things like laundry and cooking on his own. It seems like he's trying his hardest to avoid the entire human and animal race…_" Thinking back on her recent encounters with her boss and the other 'scum of the earth,' she laughed, "_I wouldn't mind joining him in that._"

Her mind screeched to a halt at that inadvertent implication, then shaking her head of it, she walked back into the bedroom.

"_No. I don't need a man in my life. I just got away from Eggman. I'm only here because I'm getting a job out of it and a place to stay where that bossr of mine can't find me. And I definitely do not need to get involved with someone. I can handle myself perfectly fine._"

Spotting her pile of meager belongings sitting in the chair, she walked over and fished out the napkin with Topaz's numbers written on it.

"Well I'm sure he can spare the phone line for just a bit," She remarked to herself lifting up the receiver and dialing up the beauty school.

Once they tracked down Topaz, she immediately berated her friend with questions.

"Rouge? Are you okay? Did they get you to a hospital in time?"

"No. Knuckles took care of it."

Topaz paused, impish smirk lighting on her face, "Oh he did, did he? Oh my…now Rouge- unless I was mistaken some of those wounds were along your side, which meant he would have to…"

Rouge forced down her rising blush, and yelled back, "Hey!"

"So, you took off your shirt for him?"

"Topaz. I'd rather not go into this," She stated firmly.

"Okay, but you'd better tell me any details later. So how are you feeling?"

"Fine. It still hurts a bit to breathe and there's a dull throbbing, but I'll live."

"So, are you going to sleep with him again tonight?"

Sighing, and knowing she shouldn't have expected any better from Topaz, Rouge retorted, "Don't say it like that. I told you before that it was nothing like that."

"But, the key is do you wish it was?" Topaz questioned, pulling a string from her pocket and beginning to toy with it as usual.

"Right now I just wish every man on earth would stay the hell away from me, to be honest."

Nodding, her spunky friend replied, "That's understandable given all that's happened to you. But you've got to at least give this man some credit if he hasn't jumped you yet. I mean, any normal man would have snapped after all you two have been through."

"He's just lonely," Rouge replied, then paused- wondering why she had chosen to bring that up.

"Well then, you can keep him company…."

Rouge began to speak, but Topaz continued.

"And that doesn't always mean sex Rouge. Some people can remain maturer than those idiots that called into our line and…oh my, I'm late. Sorry Rouge, got to get back to work before this perm goes to hell."

"All right, bye Topaz."

"Bye Rouge- remember, give him a chance."

Sitting the receiver down, she frowned as her stomach announced its displeasure at having been ignored until now.

"I see at least your stomach has common sense," Knuckles remarked.

"Hey, I never said I wasn't hungry!" She spat back seeing him in the doorway.

He turned back towards the door, "Are stairs too much for you to deal with?"

"No," Rouge said, determination in her tone.

She stood and walked over past him and out the door, headed down the stairs.

About half way down, her footing became a bit shaky as pain shot through her side, but an unexpected hand braced her shoulder.

"I am not carrying you down the rest of the way. Understood?"

Rouge leveled him with glare, "I'm fine."

Once downstairs, they quickly settled down for the meal he'd prepared.

----------------------------------------------------

Dinner passed by quietly. Knuckles not speaking as usual, and Rouge, despite her saying she was perfectly fine, was starving and couldn't help but enjoy the food that had been placed before her.

With her hunger taken care of, Rouge made her way back upstairs and took the time to lie down.

Knuckles was gone from the room, and she figured he was working on his novel or something business related. Closing her eyes, she laid on her back and willed the pain away long enough that she could rest.

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Hours had past, yet she was still not finding it easy to get comfortable. Finally giving up, she got up and changed into the loaned pajamas, hoping she might be able to fall asleep out of sheer exhaustion.

Hearing the door opening, she noticed Knuckles come in and retreat to the bathroom- emerging a few moments later in his own pajamas.

Rouge sighed, begrudgingly moving to her edge of the bed as he came over and laid down.

It had been at least thirty more minutes, she was certain, yet even with the pain medication and the bandages, it was still hard to get comfortable. Wincing as she rolled yet again, she tried to find a way to lie without her side throbbing so badly.

That's when she heard a very quiet "here" and felt a pillow being held out to her.

"Knuckles?"

He said nothing, but let his pillow go in her hands.

"Are you capable of getting that arranged yourself?" He questioned after a moment of silence.

"Yes." She bit back.

Turning back, she placed the pillow along her side, and let a smile ease onto her face at the difference it made.

"_That's much better…goddamn Eggman going and doing this to me…ugh I hate him for this…_" Her inner tirade halted as she processed something. It was Knuckles' only other pillow which meant… "_He gave up his pillow…for me?_"

"Um…Knuckles?"

"Yes?" He questioned; voice at its usual tone.

"If I take this then you don't have a place for your head to rest, right?"

"I didn't figure you wished for me to use your chest like you had mine," Came the flat retort.

Rouge resisted the urge to say something spiteful and instead scooted closer to the edge.

Mimicking his angry-tone, she spoke up, "Here. I don't want you complaining about a headache in the morning."

Quirking an eyebrow not only at the mockery but at the offer, Knuckles frowned.

Without a word more from either of them, he moved over slightly towards her and accepted the offered use of the other half of the pillow that Rouge's head laid on.

"_Well then, you can keep him company,_" Topaz's words rang inside her mind as the warm presence next to her settled down.

"_You're just a loner in your home too, aren't you Knuckles?_" She thought once again, then with a smirk added, "_But it looks like you're stuck with me. Whether you or I like it or not._"

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Preview for next Chapter:

An encounter once again with Knuckles' friend leaves Rouge with some questions and not many answers; but with all of his friends now wanting to try and get in on the matchmaking mayhem, things are going to get interesting- very interesting.


	10. Ring Ring Again

Now- as always, please read, review and enjoy

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So there I was, thrown haphazardly from my life of torment into the not-so-willing arms of one Knuckles the Echidna. Deep down, I don't think either of us were that pleased with the current arrangement- but he had his friend/boss to please and I had my boss to avoid, so we were just stuck. Stuck with each other whether we liked it or not.

The strange thing was, despite his outward air of trying to hide from any other breathing creature, he was actually reacting quite well to having me in house. Then again, the fact I had a side full of glass might have been a sympathy factor, but it seemed to be something else.

But what really threw me was not his actions, but what happened the next morning. Damned guy got me worked up over nothing… but I did find out something else interesting. That he wasn't just following boss's/friend's orders completely after all…

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Chapter 9: Ring Ring Again

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The bedroom door swung open slightly as a lone figure stepped in.

"I see we had an enjoyable night's sleep," The voice said, a light air of amusement to it.

Knuckles slowly opened his eyes, bringing the figure of his friend standing at the bedside into focus.

He glared, then on noting the clock reading four a.m. he intensified the glare.

"Unless you'd care to explain this visual to me in clearer terms," The elder crocodile continued.

Frowning, Knuckles took in his situation. During the night, he'd moved to where he was laying flat on his back, and Rouge- most likely due to her injury he concluded, had rolled over to rest her head on his chest.

"Things aren't always as they seem," He muttered.

"Then what are they?" His friend countered.

"She was injured!" Knuckles shouted, figuring that would explain everything.

Smirking slightly, Vector realized it would be best not to push the issue any further.

"I need to speak with you about something important."

Raising an eyebrow, Knuckles awaited what was to be said.

"Perhaps we'd best step out in the hallway. I wouldn't want her disturbed. What with her injury and all."

Glaring on noting the mockery of his reasoning, the red-furred echidna slowly laid Rouge's head on the pillow and made his way over to where his friend stood.

Stepping out into the hallway, Knuckles closed the door partially behind him.

"I suppose you have a valid reason for waking me this early."

Reaching into the front pocket of his suit, Vector pulled out three small objects and handed them to Knuckles.

"Your Mother instructed me to give these to you when I felt you were ready for them."

Opening his hand slowly, his eyebrows furrowed on seeing what it was.

"This is."

"The rings from your Mother and Father."

Face returning to a thoughtful frown, Knuckles regarded them.

"I know you don't remember your Mother that well. But, she always wished that you would find someone that could tolerate you. Even as a young boy you were never very sociable."

Using his thumb, Knuckles nudged the rings in his palm. There were three- his Mother's two, and his Father's.

"Knuckles. You have made it quite clear that you are content alone. But for your Mother's sake, at least give this woman a chance."

"I see I don't have a say in the matter!" Knuckles retorted.

"No. I'm not forcing you into anything. She's hired as your secretary, but that's all I'm requiring. Her residency here and any further involvement with you is your choice, man."

Thinking over the conversation and the previous day's events, Knuckles frowned. "_Her only other plausible residency is with her boss,_" His frown deepened on recalling the pieces of glass he'd removed from her side, "_It is not my fault that she has involved me in her life._"

Knowing his friend was awaiting an answer, he gave one, "She has no money."

"So you're going to let her stay?"

"_Only a heartless guy would send her back home,_" His thoughts remarked. Then on thinking that over, he noted, "_Plus I don't want to bother with removing glass from her side again._"

"I suppose you'll be wanting to go somewhere with us today then," Knuckles replied, turning a bit towards his door.

Smiling on realizing that his friend had indeed said 'yes' to letting Rouge stay, the elder crocodile replied, "I'll return with Vanilla and the others in a couple of hours. We need to get your secretary proper attire for her work."

"Understood," Knuckles muttered, going back in his room, and shutting the door behind him.

--------------------------------------------

Rouge quickly shut her eyes and feigned sleeping as fast as she could on seeing Knuckles coming back into the room.

Still regarding the rings in his hand, he sat on the edge of the bed, not noticing that Rouge had overheard more than he would have wished her to.

"_Why? Why is he being open to me? Letting me of all people into his usually secluded life?_" Rouge's mind questioned, then she added, "_And why the hell is he still being so damned cryptic about everything? What the hell is going through that head of his anyway?_"

"Rouge," He said simply to himself.

Hearing her name, she froze. Heart hitching a few beats, her mind raced, "_Okay, now he's thinking about me…But what about me? He's…he's still looking at those rings, right?_"

"Rouge," Knuckles said again, voice still in its grumpy emotionless state as he turned to look at her from the corner of his eye.

On hearing the shift on the bed, the white-furred bat girl's mind was a whirlwind of thoughts, "_This can't be happening. There is no way in hell that that man would just start liking me out of the blue. Hell, he saw me butt-ass naked and it didn't even faze him one bit, so there's definitely no attraction here whatsoever. But then…why does he keep saying my name and why…_"

Her thoughts stopped completely as she felt the warm feeling of his hand resting on her arm.

Rolling her gently onto her back, he moved his hand to her shoulder, his thumb grazing the side of her neck as he settled his weight beside her on the bed.

"_Okay personally- fairytales can you-know-what off, but if he tries to kiss me to wake me up…I swear to the gods, I will punch him,_" Rouge's mind insisted.

"Rouge," He shook her gently this time.

She waited, the room falling silent.

"Rouge," Knuckles said yet again, then continued, "Wake up."

Eyes shooting open and leveling him with a glare, she yelled at him, "What the hell do you think you're doing! Trying to get the best of me while I'm sleeping, eh? Get away from me!"

Fuming, she pushed him- though not quite as hard as she had intended to.

"_Damn bastard! All that 'Rouge' shit and all he was trying to do was wake me up. Damn it all!_"

Glaring at a spot on the wall, she came to realize something, "_And goddamnit if I'm not upset that he didn't kiss me. Shit. What has he done to my brain! He's got me acting like some Barbie doll ready to pounce on Ken. Damn him to hell._"

"Is there a problem?" Knuckles asked on seeing her sitting there and still not moving.

"I was woken up at," She checked the clock, "At the butt-crack of dawn why?"

"I wanted to give you something!" He shouted.

"_Give me…_" Her thoughts halted on remembering that he still had the rings in his hand, "_That's it. I'm having a messed up nightmare. Someone please wake me up before I start enjoying this see-saw torment for my heart rate…_"

"Okay, and what the hell do you want to give me at four in the morning?"

Knuckles paused, and she continued to glare.

"Well what is it?"

"Here!" He shouted handing it over.

She slowly opened her hand, and stared in shock at the two small objects there.

"What is this?"

Sighing slightly, Knuckles replied, "Your pain medication should have worn off by now. Excuse me for thinking you'd want more!"

Rouge glared at the two small white pills in her hand, then to the red-furred echidna nearby.

"Well I need water to take it with."

Heading for the bathroom, he stopped a moment to sit the three rings on the top of the dresser.

Rubbing at her temples, Rouge took a deep breath and exhaled, "_When am I going to learn I shouldn't expect shit out of him…_"

Looking up at the sound of him returning, she reached out and took the glass from him. Quickly taking the two pills, she sat the glass on the nightstand.

"There. I took them, are you happy now?"

"We can sleep for a few more hours. Then we have things to do."

Rolling her eyes, she laid back on the pillows, "Fine. Whatever. Just…shit." She exclaimed on hitting her injured side. "_The bastard was right. Damn medicine has worn off…_"

Lying down beside her, Knuckles frowned on hearing her curse at her side. Moving over to where he was near the pillow they had been sharing, he placed a hand on her shoulder.

Before she could protest, he'd pulled her head down to rest on his chest again.

"This is rather irritating- but I suppose your drool is better than you cursing every five seconds until the medicine begins to work!"

Rouge frowned, and shot a glare up at him, "I don't drool, thank you very much."

He moved the other pillow up behind her back.

"_Irritating woman. She's going to be a royal pain to take care of until that injury heals._"

"Sleep. We have a long day ahead of us."

"I'll sleep when I feel like it, so there." She protested, yet with a yawn she began to let her exhaustion from the night before take her over again.

Still being tired himself, Knuckles loosely kept his hand on the pillow behind her to keep it from slipping as he too closed his eyes and fell back asleep.

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A few hours later, Knuckles stirred on hearing his alarm going off. Glaring at it since he couldn't reach it, he turned on seeing the door open and his friend step in.

"I see you're back."

"I see you're awake," He stated simply, "If anything she encourages you to sleep in more."

Frowning, Knuckles began to nudge Rouge awake.

"What?" She asked calm as ever.

"I believe I told you we had things to do today."

"I'm certain we can conserve time if you both just opt to join each other in the shower," Vector remarked casually.

"Excuse me?" Rouge fumed, sitting upright.

"Dear, don't torment them," A soft female's voice spoke up from the doorway.

"Vanilla," He regarded her simply.

Walking over to where Rouge laid, the brown/blonde-furred bunny woman extended a hand, "I'm Vector's girlfriend. A pleasure to meet you, Miss Rouge is it?"

Nodding in reply, the white-furred bat girl loosely shook her hand.

"Come on, I'll help you get changed in the bathroom. I brought an old outfit of mine for you to borrow for today."

Shakily standing, Rouge allowed Vanilla to help her up.

"Honestly dear, if Knuckles was to join her in the shower that wouldn't save us any time at all," She remarked passing by her husband, "That friend of yours might finally register his hormones and they'd be in there all day."

Blinking, the young bat girl looked to Vanilla, "_Damn. Is everyone in his family this desperate to get him laid?...Hey! Wait a minute, and since when did I become the choice female here!_"

Sensing Rouge tense, Vanilla placed a gentle hand on her shoulder, "Don't pay any mind, I'm just teasing."

She walked with her into the bathroom and closed the door behind them.

"Though, I can't say it wouldn't please me to see him settled down with someone. He's awfully lonely whether he'll admit it or not. And I thought our friend Sonic had girl problems…"

Smiling at the bunny woman's heartfelt words, Rouge nodded, "He is kinda lonely, isn't he?"

"Well perhaps we can fix that, right?" Vanilla said with a smile.

Rouge looked to the door, then back to the other woman, "I suppose…well…who knows."

"_I think you know better than you're willing to admit,_" Vanilla thought to herself on seeing the expression on the other woman's face, "_But I'm sure you two will figure it out in time._"

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Preview for next Chapter

A trip to get Rouge some clothing seems simple enough. But with the all Knuckles' friends coming along, both Rouge and Knuckles are going to find themselves being pushed together more than they'd like.


	11. Tangled Up in Your Wires

Most women adore shopping- claim its fun and "a good stress relief."

Honestly, such women are nothing but poor diluted fools that try to pass off the long lines, the constant thought of "does this make me look fat?" and other hellish shopping traits as "fun."

Well, I knew better. Then again, when most of my time shopping was spent with my asshole boss looming, it was hard to even somewhat enjoy myself. What was so damn "fun" about trying on clothes anyway?

Fun or not though, that morning I found myself in tow with some unique, yet wealthy friends...and they were damn determined to have Knuckles and I at least remotely interested in each other by the end of the day. Well, sorry to burst their bubble, but there is no way in hell that's going to happen… at least, I thought so.

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Chapter 10: Tangled Up in Your Wires

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After pulling on the shirt and pants, Rouge looked down at herself.

"That will suit you quite well for the time being," Vanilla remarked, "But we'll get you plenty of nice things for your new job today."

"Um…well, I don't have much money…so…"

Pausing as she felt the other woman's hand on her shoulder, Rouge looked up to her.

"Don't you worry; it can be written off as a business expense. It's nothing to bother yourself with. You save your money for yourself."

Blinking, she glanced at her borrowed clothing, "I really hate having to rely on others."

"I know," Vanilla replied, "But someone needs to help you get your feet back on the ground. And you've already paid us back quite well."

"Excuse me?"

"Romantic or not, Knuckles been a bit more sociable ever since meeting you and I don't believe that it's a coincidence. I think all that he needed was an independent person like you in his life to give it a little more meaning."

Rouge frowned, "I'm not his babysitter."

Vanilla reached for the door, "No. But for someone like Knuckles, who's had everything he could want handed to him, seeing someone in your condition and your situation has opened his eyes a bit. No one's been able to do that since he met my daughter Cream."

"Cream?"

"You'll meet her in a moment," She replied with a smile.

The door slowly opened and Rouge stepped out, confusion quickly appearing on her face.

There on the bed sat Knuckles with a small brown/blonde-furred bunny girl sitting in his lap and rambling to him.

"_That's little girl from the other day…so that was his friends I ran into. I knew I recognized his friends…but, this is…Cream?_"

"So then I told Sonic that he was being silly, and he laughed at me and jokingly told me to get out of his room but I told him that Mom said it was okay so he just winked at me and said "okay!" and so I got to sit in there and look at all his neat stuff and then…." She trailed off as she heard the door open.

"Cream, don't bother him too much. He had a tiring night," Vanilla reprimanded lightly.

The small bunny girl smiled and jumped down out of the grumpy echidna's lap, "Ooooh? Is that because he slept with that pretty lady? I know that sometimes if you sleep with someone else you end up really tired and…."

"Cream!" Knuckles gasped, frown apparent on his face.

"Yes, Knuckles?"

"Don't listen to Sonic about what happens when you sleep with people."

"Okay!" She said cheerfully before skipping over to where Rouge stood.

"But she is really pretty. She's the lady I gave the flower when she looked sad."

Vanilla placed a gentle hand on Cream's shoulder as she knelt down to the girl's level, "Now Cream, let's be nice to Miss Rouge, all right? She's a bit tired from some things that happened yesterday and doesn't need you bothering her too much."

Nodding enthusiastically, she walked over to her, "Hi! I'm Cream."

She extended a hand and Rouge paused a moment before taking it.

"I'm Rouge."

Turning back towards Vanilla, the brown/blonde-furred bundle of energy asked, "So when Knuckles and Miss Rouge get married can I be the flower girl?"

The room fell silent as a loud gasp was heard from Knuckles' direction.

Rouge just blinked, "Um…"

"Now now Cream. Just calm down. Why don't you go downstairs and have Sonic get you a glass of orange juice?"

"Okay Mom!"

Once the girl was out the door and out of sight, Vanilla turned with a hesitant smile to Rouge, "You'll have to pardon her, she's been very close to Knuckles ever since he met her and she's been very eager to get a 'big sister' aside from Amy."

"…Amy?" Rouge asked, noticing Knuckles gathering up his clothing and going into the bathroom to change himself.

"Oh, she's Sonic's girlfriend. A very pleasant young girl…but with Sonic running around all the time, it'll be sometime before they're ready to be married."

"I see…" She replied slowly, "And since when was becoming Knuckles' wife part of my job description as his secretary?"

"Consider it a bonus if you can win him over," Vector spoke up from the doorway.

"I'd rather keep to minimum wage then," Rouge countered with a glare.

"_Touche_," The elder crocodile thought to himself, "_I can see why Knuckles is perplexed so by her. She is indeed very interesting._"

"You'll have to pardon our forward intentions. You happen to be the first female he's shown even a remote interest in," He said aloud.

"Oh, so you're forcing him on me so he doesn't turn out gay, right?"

"That doesn't seem to be his persuasion either. The secretary down in the juvenile books branch of his offices doesn't seem to be any more appealing to him than a female."

Rouge blanched, "What?"

"Someone. Openly homosexual man who currently works as a secretary for one of the others in my offices. Has made advances to which I dismissed!" Knuckles stated in slight irritation as he came out of the bathroom.

Before anyone else in the room could remark, another voice was heard from downstairs.

"Can we go yet? I want to get this shopping over with."

Vanilla shook her head, "That would be our friend, all right."

Knuckles just glared, "And why is he coming along against his will?"

"There's a dance at a school soon and Amy wanted him to help pick out her dress. At first he protested, but I told him it was sweet gesture so he has begrudgingly agreed only if I come along," The blonde/brown-furred bunny woman explained.

"Wuss," The elder echidna muttered under his breath.

Rouge smirked slightly, _"So he is still somewhat human under that cold hotheaded exterior. Well now, this day might not be so boring after all…_"

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Making their way downstairs, Rouge could overhear three distinct voices in the kitchen.

"So what kinda dress are you getting, Miss Amy?"

"Well that depends on what helps me pick out."

"Heh!"

Knuckles casually walked in towards his refrigerator, opened it, then turned and leveled a glare at his younger friend.

"Since when was it appropriate to come into my house and drink all my milk?"

"Since I'm thirsty and I felt it like," Sonic retorted playfully.

In a moment, Knuckles was face to face with Sonic. With a tinge of a smug smirk, he lifted up the half-full glass from the table.

"That's mine!"

"Last I checked this was my home!" He shot back, face and voice still grumpy.

"Oh yeah well…." Sonic stopped as Knuckles proceeded to drink down the rest of the glass, "Hey!"

"Come on boys. Let's try and get along at least for a little while," Vanilla interfered, walking between them and casually taking the empty glass from Knuckles.

"Heh. Fine with me…" Sonic began, only to be cut off.

"Sonic?"

"Yes, Vanilla?"

"We're going to drop you and Amy down at the dress department when we get there. I need to help Rouge pick out some suitable work clothes then I'll be down to help you out, all right?"

"Fine with me," He repeated with his trademark wink.

Rouge just stood in the doorway, amused smirk on her face.

"Can I go with Miss Rouge and Knuckles?" Cream questioned, looking up at Vanilla.

"Certainly Cream. I'm sure Rouge would love to have your help picking out some clothes," The bunny woman replied, giving her a good-natured smile.

"Knuckles. Vanilla shall attend to you and Rouge for now. Please allow her the use of your car to get you there," Vector stated firmly.

Knuckles nodded simply in reply.

"I'm riding with you, Vector?" Sonic questioned as he stood.

"I'll attend to you and Amy while Vanilla is assisting Rouge," He stated.

Everything at the household having been attended to, the friends divided itself amongst the two cars and proceeded to the local shopping establishment.

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Once there, Cream quickly ran about the department pointing out dresses and suits that she thought Rouge would like, and Vanilla helped narrow those choices down into more suitable ones.

Rouge stood back and looked around. It was a fancy department store, and she knew every shirt was at least forty dollars or more.

Not looking any more attentive, Knuckles stood quietly beside her waiting for this task to be dealt with so he could return to his usual daily routine.

Finally selecting some outfits, Vanilla ushered Rouge into the nearest fitting room and waited outside with Knuckles and Cream to assess each outfit's appearance on the white-furred bat girl.

After going through about seven different outfits, Rouge paused as the zipper on the dress she was trying on stuck.

Muttering curses under her breath, she spoke in the direction of the door, "Uh…Vanilla? Can you help me with something? The zipper on this one is stuck…"

Hearing the rattling doorknob, she reached back behind her and undid the lock.

"It's unlocked now."

Shutting her eyes for a brief moment in pain from the quick movement of her arm, she froze on feeling a firm hand on her shoulder.

"_That hand is way too big for it to be Vanilla's…_"

She closed her eyes tighter, her mind conjuring up nothing but the thought that Eggman could have found her.

"For someone who's always protesting that they can attend to things themselves. You are rather lacking in fulfilling those words."

"_That voice…it's…_" She opened her eyes, and looked up at the grumpy face of none other than Knuckles.

Releasing the breath she didn't even know she was holding, Rouge managed to get one word out, "You…."

Raising an eyebrow, he finished pulling up the zipper.

"Perhaps the zipper wouldn't get stuck if you choose something that wasn't as…" He averted his eyes, "skin-tight."

"I didn't pick it out," She growled, "And what are _you_ doing in here anyway?"

"Vanilla had taken Cream to look at something. You needed help."

"And who said I wanted _your_ help, pervert?"

Reaching out, he firmly took her chin in his hand, "You were afraid. Why?"

Jerking her face out of his grasp, she glared at the wall of the small changing room.

Turning, he opened the door and walked out, leaving her with a few words in his absence.

"There would never be any reason for me to treat you like that man did!"

Pausing as that sunk in, she was at a loss for words for a moment. Not knowing why, Rouge reached out and caught his wrist before the door swung closed.

Head hung down, she muttered under her breath.

"I know, Knuckles."

Slowly she let go and the door closed.

"_Somehow…I know. You'll never hurt me._"

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Preview for next Chapter:

To understand the reserved echidna who's life she's becoming a part of, Rouge turns to those around him with questions in hopes to get some answers to why he is who he is.


	12. Can't You Hear Me Calling?

All right then, as always- please read, review and enjoy

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Everyone carries a burden in life. Sometimes it's something the person brought upon themselves. Other times, it's something that was inflicted on them against their will. That was my case- I was stuck with the burden of my boss's ever-looming presence haunting my every move.

For now though, things seemed safe. I had been taken in by kind, though slightly weird friends and despite their damned attempts to get me and their friend romantically involved, I was beginning to grow quite fond of them.

I'd never really had "real" friends before. Just my asshole boss for as long as I can remember, and then my sidekick Bokun. But that was it. Nothing more, nothing less. There wasn't any love, tenderness, caring or all that other shit that's supposed to be part of the "friend" package. A "real" friend was like a surreal notion to me- and now…now I was becoming one.

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Chapter 11: Can't You Hear Me Calling?

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"_I know, Knuckles._"

It bothered him. He wasn't certain why- but those few words fully irritated him for reasons even he couldn't place. It just…did.

Creasing his eyebrows and choosing to focus his gaze on the wall across the store, his thoughts tugged at his brain.

"_So she's intelligent enough to finally process I won't hurt her like that. But why. Why is it that these words are so perplexing to me?_" Shifting his gaze slightly, he exhaled lightly, "_It's not of my concern. Her being willing to trust me or not. That is her choice. It doesn't mean I have to do anything about it._"

Back within the confines of the dressing room, Rouge clutched her hand against her chest, balling her fist around the fabric there.

"_Goddamn bastard…he's got me saying idiotic crap like that to him now. Damn him. Just damn him._"

Shaking the thoughts from her mind, she turned to look at herself in the mirror.

"_It is…skin tight…_" She remarked on seeing how the crimson-red dress hugged her body.

Thinking back on it, Rouge remembered when Vanilla had handed it to her.

"_Some people will say every girl needs a little black dress, but since it's my friend we're dealing with, I believe this is more like it._"

Allowing a small smile to creep onto her face, she gently fingered the black flowers embroidered on the bottom of the dress's fabric.

"_Oooh it matches your lipstick, Miss Rouge,_" Cream's comment on the dress surfaced in her mind.

She wasn't quite certain what she would ever use a dress like this for- but given that someone else was paying the bill, Rouge figured- why the hell not?

Realizing as she went to remove the garment that she would need assistance again with the zipper, she cracked the door open and looked out.

There stood Knuckles- his usual angry expression firmly in place.

Rouge sighed, "If it's not too much trouble I'd like this off. But I'd hate to bother you since you're so occupied," she shot sarcastically in his direction.

He paused a moment, leveling her with a glare.

"_Why does she keep asking for my assistance?_"

"I see you still can't do anything yourself!"

"Oh shove it okay, I had a glass bottle shattered into my side."

About to protest more, Rouge halted on seeing the slight twinge of Knuckles' eyes at what she said.

"_So it does bother him. That bastard. Why can't he just show a little emotion now and then?_"

Her mind flashing back to the family portrait, she paused her thoughts, "_But even then…he looked like this…_"

Jerking her head up at feeling his hand prying hers away from the doorway so he could enter, she quickly averted her eyes towards the back of the dressing room.

She felt his firm hand once again on her shoulder- not gentle yet not overbearing in his touch. His fingers slowly gripped the small zipper tab and pulled it down her back.

Then, much to Rouge's surprise, he just stood there; one hand firmly on her waist, one on her shoulder.

Almost afraid to turn, yet irritated nonetheless she opened her mouth to demand what the hell he was doing.

That's when she felt his hand move, a single finger gently brushing over one of the scars on her back.

"It must be troublesome."

"What?" She breathed; voice barely above a whisper.

"To carry a burden like this."

Turning to look at him, she paused- his eyes softer than they usually were.

But before either of them could say or think anymore, the door flung open as a brown/blonde-furred bundle of energy attached herself to Knuckles' legs.

"I want to help Miss Rouge put her dresses on too!" Cream's bubbly voice shattered the tense atmosphere.

And with that, Rouge couldn't help but smirk down at the young bunny girl.

"Now Cream, let them be if they're talking," Vanilla said walking up.

"But Knuckles was just helping Miss Rouge take off her dress."

"And knowing him there is nothing to be read into in that," Vector remarked coming up behind his wife.

Knuckles frowned slightly at that and doing the best as he could given Cream's clinging to his left leg, he walked out of the dressing room and closed the door behind him.

Releasing a breath she didn't even know she was holding, Rouge slumped back against the wall.

"_What was that look for? Was it pity? Was it sympathy? I don't want anyone's pity. I just want to be free…_"

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After getting her borrowed clothing back on, Rouge slowly made her way back out to where the friends waited.

"Rouge, if you don't mind coming with me we can get those things paid for and pick up Sonic and Amy," Vanilla said politely.

"We will be located at the toy store then, Vanilla," Vector said turning to leave with Cream and Knuckles.

"Don't worry. Knuckles just needs to have some time for his friend to speak to him. While I can talk to you," The blonde/brown-furred bunny woman explained on seeing Rouge's perplexed expression.

"Oh…"

The two women headed in the other direction, towards the elevator.

"Every time we come to the mall, Cream always insists on going to the toy store with Knuckles. You might not believe it, but even though he tries to act like he couldn't care less- he always ends up going with her. I think she's become more of a sister to him than he'd like to admit."

Figuring it was her right to know now that she'd been pulled into their lives, Rouge asked, "So…Cream is …his friend?"

Vanilla nodded, "Knuckles was walking home after work when he found her. She'd been attacked by some stray dogs and had to be taken to the hospital. Needless to say, after that he took her as a friend, but she's always been partial to Knuckles."

"It looks like Knuckles has a bad habit of picking people up when they're in trouble," She remarked, thinking back to her on situation.

"I wouldn't say it's a habit. Cream and now you are the only two exceptions to his usual avoidance of humankind or animalkind. As to why, I'm not even quite certain. It must just be something about you that touches his hidden heart."

Rouge blinked, "What?"

Offering the usual warm smile, Vanilla waited as they stepped out of the elevator, "I think you'll see soon enough."

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Down in the other department, the other friend of Knuckles was currently in a dressing room himself; trying on clothing for the upcoming dance at a school. Waiting outside the door holding the dress she'd selected was his girlfriend Amy.

"Come on, Sonic. We don't have all day…"

"Gotcha!" Was the only reply.

Looking over, the young girl noticed a familiar face and offered a wave in her direction.

"Hello there, Amy. Shopping for the dance this week?" The green-haired plant girl asking walking over to where the girl stood.

"Oh, hello Cosmo. Yeah," She rubbed the back of her head, "We're running a bit behind on getting our outfits so we're having trouble with the limited selection left."

"I figured as much. Saving the world this week should be a bit hectic with all the pre-dance activities. I hope no one forgets to fight Eggman on a regular basis."

Smiling warmly at her teacher, Amy nodded, "I'll have to make sure Sonic didn't forget to finish him."

"Amy?" The young hedgehog guy they were just speaking of questioned, coming out of the dressing room attired in his dress shirt, slacks and a tie.

"Ah, there he is. Good morning Sonic. That looks quite nice on you."

He smiled lightly and hid a "Heh" under his breath.

"I'm certain Amy and you will be one of the most attractive couples at the dance. Well I'd best be going you two. Don't forget to fight Eggman."

"Goodbye, Cosmo."

Sonic frowned, looking down at the ground.

"What? Did you forget about Eggman…?" Amy questioned on seeing his expression.

"No."

"Then what is it?"

"Amy. This looks stupid."

"No, it looks nice."

"It's stupid."

"I said it looks nice, so you're getting it!" She retorted, her temper flaring up.

"I'm not getting something that looks stupid!"

"It matches my dress- are you saying my dress is stupid?"

"It's all stupid!"

"SSS-O-N-I-C!" The pink-furred hedgehog girl fumed as she leveled him with a deadly glare.

"Heh!"

"That's it! I'm getting Vanilla!" She began to stalk in our direction, leaving the blue-furred hedgehog boy wide-eyed and scrambling after her.

"I just don't like clothes like this! You know…uh…heh…it's just annoying. Not…not you and stuff…" He mumbled.

Amy paused then, talking a deep breath, "So- you like the clothes I picked out?"

"Well err…."

On getting closer, Vanilla spotted the two and noted her friend in the clothing he was trying on.

"Oh, that's quite handsome on you, Sonic. Is that the one you're going with?"

Looking to the side and frowning, he muttered, "Yeah, I am."

Satisfied that the matter had been resolved, Amy quickly pushed him back towards the fitting room.

"Okay then, get changed so you can get home and start on looking out for Eggman…"

"Heh! Why do I have do it now? He 's looking for Rouge…"

"Because every time you wait until the last minute I end up having to stay up all night wondering if you're all right."

Vanilla shook her head, Rouge just blinked.

"They fight like a married couple already…" The bat girl remarked.

Smile brightening, Vanilla replied, "I see you noticed too."

Once Sonic had changed and his clothing was handed over to his friend, the bunny woman headed over to the nearest checkout and let the cashier ring up all the purchases.

"Are you sure you don't want me to at least pay a little?" Rouge offered.

"I said it before, and I meant it- save that money for yourself, all right?"

All the purchases attended to, Vanilla handed some of the packages over to her son and his girlfriend, "Go on out to the car, we just have to go get Cream from the toy store and we'll be right out."

Nodding, the two walked out as Rouge followed Vanilla out into the mall itself.

After walking past several stores they finally came upon the local toy store.

"They should be in here somewhere…"

Sure enough before they so much as set foot in the place, Cream's bubbly laughter echoed off the walls.

"Knuckles looks funny with that kind of hat!"

Following the voice, the two women were soon treated to the reason behind Cream's laughter.

There amongst the dress-up accessories for young girls was little Cream- floppy pink hat atop her head. And as for Knuckles- he had a matching purple hat on his head, his trademark angry expression locked in place.

"Mom!" Cream exclaimed rushing over towards Vanilla, "Look at the pretty hats Knuckles found for me!"

"I see, I see." She said, kneeling to Cream's level.

"And Knuckles' got the best hat ever! It's got a pretty flower on it and some sparkles and a pretty pink ribbon!"

By this point, Rouge finally had to raise her hand over her mouth to hide the wide smile and threatening laughter there.

But on catching a glance from Knuckles' eyes with her own, the words Vanilla had said to her earlier came back to mind.

"_I think you'll see soon enough_."

"_There is…something more underneath his cold-hotheaded façade, isn't there?_" Rouge thought to herself, then with a smile she added, "_But I do have to say, that hat looks absolutely ridiculous on him_."

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Preview for next Chapter:

After returning home, it seems that Knuckles and Rouge might get a better chance to know one another… that is until two uninvited house guests show up at the front door.


	13. A Number To Remember

As always then- please: read, review and enjoy

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There are two signs that your life is slowly becoming that roller coaster chaos that's involved with actually semi-giving a damn about another person. One, you realize that you've just betrayed your vow never to trust another human being or animal- no matter the circumstances. Two, you realize you've done that over a echidna who was at the moment wearing a floppy purple hat.

Needless to say, this sort of realization tends to irritate some. As for me, it downright pissed me off. Here I was noticing that Mr. Hot Head had something hidden under that rock-hard mask he wears, and it left me feeling nothing but furious that here he's seen just about every scar on my body and I can't even see anything past his mask.

Now before you even say it- yah, I know life isn't fair…but in this case, I felt I deserved at least a little compensation for all the shit I'd been through. Was it so strange for me to want to know a little more about the man he hid inside?

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Chapter 12: A Number to Remember

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Knuckles turned grumpily, as if the fact he was wearing a young girl's purple hat was absolutely the worst thing.

"Does Miss Rouge want a pretty hat too?" Cream's voice broke through Rouge's thoughts.

"Huh?" She blinked, looking down to the young bunny girl who was currently looking up at her with an innocent and expectant gaze.

"Well I don't know- I think you already gave Knuckles the best one here…" Rouge replied with a smirk.

Scurrying back over to the pile of hats, boas and other accessories, Cream emerged with her hands full of goodies.

"Here! Pick!" She said, thrusting her armful of goods towards Rouge.

Blinking the white-haired bat girl looked about to the other friends, then back to Cream before lifting a small red hat with a large white feather from the pile.

"Is this one…okay?"

She felt somewhat awkward, not used to having anyone fussing over her and her choices like this before.

"Oooh yah, that one's very pretty! Put it on, put it on!"

Seeing Vanilla giving her an encouraging nod and Knuckles gathering up a basket of other toys in the background, Rouge finally gave into the bunny girl's cheerful nature.

Slowly moving as to not aggravate her side, she perched the small hat on her head, "Like this I suppose?"

Cream just smiled, then moving in a flash only capable by someone with her amount of energy, she made her way over to Knuckles and tugged on his pants leg.

"Isn't she pretty, Knuckles?"

Reaching up and ridding himself of the purple hat he wore, he looked from Rouge to Cream and back.

"The hat is a little eccentric."

Opening her mouth to ask again, Cream fell quiet as Vanilla stepped over, "Come on now Cream, we'd best be going."

Rouge's eyes blinked for a moment before they creased into a thoughtful gaze.

"Wait a second…is he saying that without the hat…"

"Rouge."

His calm yet firm voice caused her to start.

"What?" She asked back.

"We're going," He said simply, reaching up and removing the hat from her head.

Glaring, she looked away from him as she quietly followed.

Dropping the red hat in the basket with the other items Cream was getting, Knuckles went to stand quietly by the doorway while the others waited in line.

Not sure whether to stay with Vanilla or go stand with him, Rouge hesitated before walking over to where he stood.

After a moment in silence, she attempted to start a conversation, "Is she always that…hyper?"

"Always," He replied simply.

Curious as to how far she could go, she continued, "She seems to really like you a lot."

"I guess she does."

"It's nice that she has someone like you to look out for her. Everyone needs someone like that," Rouge said, softly adding the last part almost in spoken thought.

Knuckles raised an eyebrow, catching the strange tone to Rouge's voice.

Silence hung in the air until he finally spoke, "They're done. Let's go."

Frowning, and wondering why she expected anymore out of him, the white-haired bat girl sighed and followed him as the rest of the friends emerged from the store, bags in hand.

"We should be getting Rouge back home. She still needs her rest. Knuckles, you make sure she gets a proper lunch and dinner, and you'll probably need to help her change her bandages before she goes to sleep."

Eyes narrowing, he looked up to Vanilla, "So I have to baby-sit her?"

"Hey. I never said you had to do anything." Rouge protested.

Vanilla stepped between the two before any more arguments could occur.

"No. Knuckles, you are to take care of her since she is in need of someone to assist her. Rouge, I am by no means undermining your strength, but I would hate to see you injure yourself further by straining yourself."

Taking that for what it was, Rouge, quieted, "It's not like I wanted this to happen to me…" She muttered.

On making their way out the mall door towards the parking lot, Rouge let her eyes wander across the cars and people coming and going.

That's when she froze.

"No. No…not him…no…"

Noticing that Rouge had stopped walking, Knuckles turned back to where she stood petrified in shock. Quickly glancing to the man her eyes fell onto, he knew who it must be.

Ignoring his friend's odd stares, he pushed Rouge back against the wall outside the mall, and hastily whispered.

"Don't move!"

Glancing out of his peripheral vision, he realized there was only one way to completely hide Rouge's identity from the bald man.

Leaning down, he shielded her face on one side by bracing his arm against the wall there. Then, right as the man turned to look at them, Knuckles moved his face in- planning to stop a few centimeters from her face.

He hadn't planned on Rouge moving her head forward at that moment. Or his lips meeting hers.

Eggman narrowed his eyes on the red-furred man, irritated that he couldn't get a good view of the woman that was with him.

Shaking his mind of the possibility, the manipulative man casually made his way inside the mall.

"There's no way that caller was one of the Sonic Heroes. It couldn't have been Rouge…" He reasoned, beginning to scan the mall for his runaway employee.

Back outside, Knuckles withdrew on hearing the mall doors swinging closed. A deep frown instantly settling onto his features.

Rouge, on the other hand, just blinked; still in shock not only from her boss showing up but also from the accidental kiss that had just occurred.

"Well Knuckles, I didn't know you had it in you," Vector remarked heading over towards them.

"You misunderstand, Vector!" He retorted loudly.

"Then would you care to explain that rather spontaneous sign of affection?"

Before Knuckles could, Rouge's voice cut in.

"…Why…he's looking for me…." She allowed herself to slink down against the wall, not paying heed to the way her hand drifted to her lips.

"Her boss?" Vector questioned.

Knuckles gave a slight nod in the affirmative.

Vanilla had already made her way over to where Rouge sat on the ground, "It's okay. He's gone now. He's gone…Are you going to be all right, Rouge?"

Her vacant expression slowly registering the figure above her she nodded slightly.

Nearby Knuckles' gaze was locked on the spot he'd laid eyes on Eggman.

"So that's the man who did this to her. Quite the coward if he resorts to such means!"

"Knuckles…" Rouge's voice pulled him from his thoughts, and he turned to regard her.

Standing as Vanilla held out a hand for support, Rouge found her footing and walked over to where Knuckles stood.

Eyes narrowing on him, she leveled a harsh glare, "Was that really necessary? What was that for anyway?"

Looking off to the side, he angrily remarked, " I take no blame for those that cannot follow simple instructions!"

"What!" She asked, still shaky yet furious about the sudden kiss as well.

"I told you not to move. You moved!"

"Oh go to hell you goddamn…"

"We'd best go!" Knuckles growled, turning to leave.

"Hey! I'm talking to you….you…"

"Would you rather he found you!"

At that she halted her tongue and hung her head, "No."

Without a word more, Knuckles began to walk towards the friends' cars.

Cream watched from nearby as Vanilla walked besides Rouge, gently bracing her as she walked.

Inside her mind, Rouge's emotions were jumbled and thoughts were nothing but a blur of information and confusion.

Knuckles, despite his desire to appear otherwise, wasn't fairing much better.

"How can a mere touching of lips be so… troublesome," He thought, unsure whether that pertained to Rouge's anger over it or to his own confusion.

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The car ride back to Knuckles' residency was in complete silence aside from Cream's questions to Knuckles now and then about her dress-up clothes and her upcoming birthday.

Rouge only vaguely listened, her mind shaken by seeing Eggman again and her heart shaken by the unintentional kiss with the echidna she kept swearing she could care less about.

It seemed like mere seconds to her before she heard Knuckles' usual tone of voice saying her name.

"Rouge."

Looking up, she finally registered that they were back at his home.

"Oh…"

Vanilla handed over the packages to Knuckles, "Now make sure all her clothing gets hung up properly. It wasn't cheap, you know."

Nodding in reply, he turned to follow Rouge inside when his friend stopped him.

"Knuckles."

He quirked an eyebrow and waited for the question.

"It is okay to open up your heart now and then. Remember that man."

Eyes narrowing at what he knew those words meant, he silently went inside.

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Making his way through the house, he found Rouge lying down on his bed- her arms wrapped securely around one of the pillows.

"So that was your boss," He said simply, sitting down beside her.

" I'm not in the mood for this," Her muffled voice came from behind the pillow.

Standing he went to the dresser and lifted up the photograph before returning to where he sat beside her.

"Here."

"What?"

He handed the photo over to her.

"Why are you giving this to me?"

"Look closely."

Looking back at the picture, she noticed one thing she hadn't before. Knuckles' face had two light scars on his cheek.

"Your face…but…"

"Everyone's life isn't perfect."

"He…"

"Insulting my stepmother was not an option."

"So he hit you."

"Once. It was enough."

Handing the frame back to him, Rouge let her eyes wander to the sheets on the bed.

"I see."

"Why are you telling me this? Are you…trying to make me understand something? Trying to let me know that even though your Father cares now that you…you can understand my pain? What?" Her mind raced.

"But my scars are gone now," He said quietly as he got up.

She looked after him, "Why are you telling me this?"

He sat the frame down, "Because you need to hear it."

"Is this…are you opening up to me…Knuckles?"

"Perhaps a shower would be necessary before lunch. I'll be downstairs."

With that, he turned to leave.

Gathering herself up, Rouge walked towards the bathroom.

"It might…cool my nerves…" She reasoned, her hand once again drifting to her lips, "Damn bastard. Why the hell did he have to kiss me?"

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Downstairs, Knuckles frowned on assessing what remained of food in his refrigerator. About to head for his cabinets to check their contents, the light rapping of a knock on the door caught his ears.

Frowning, he made his way towards the door and paused to look out.

At who it was his eyes narrowed.

"And with Rouge in such a pleasant mood as it is!" He remarked, opening the latches.

"What do you want?" He questioned, leveling a glare at the two figures.

Before either of them could speak though, their attention was diverted elsewhere.

At the top of the staircase stood Rouge- wrapped in nothing but a towel.

"Knuckles, I need another towel for my hair…"

One of the uninvited guests just smirked, "I see you have some unusual company."

"Secretary!" Knuckles clarified.

The two figures just smiled, expecting such an avoidant answer from him.

"And just when I was of the assumption that this day couldn't get anymore irritating," The red-furred echidna frowned looking between the two and Rouge, "It seems the fates are against me."

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Preview for next Chapter :

There are many things that Knuckles was not in the mood to deal with. The two people currently on his doorstep topping that list. His thoughts on a certain unexpected kiss though, coming in a close second.


	14. Call Interrupted

As always- please read, review and enjoy

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They say you can tell a lot about a person by who they consider their friends. Normally such a saying didn't matter one damn bit to me- but given the situation I was placed in, I must say- I protest.

True, I had only been around Mr. Personality himself for a few days, but that was enough for me to know that the two people on his doorstep were nothing like him. Hell, they were downright opposites. How in the hell people like that are supposed to help me understand someone as stubbornly stoic as Knuckles, I have no idea.

But, despite the oddity of it- these two called themselves his friends. And despite his outward appearance of not caring, he did allow them in. Which made me think that saying was a little wrong- it's not what the friends of a person tells you about them- it's the sides of the person you're allowed to see when they're around their friends.

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Chapter 13: Call Interrupted

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Beginning to realize this day was marked for disaster, Knuckles was just about to slam the door in their faces when the taller of the two stepped forward.

"I didn't know you had it in you, Knuckles."

Rouge froze on hearing the other voices, "Knuckles if you brought some of your stupid friends over to gawk at me, I'm going to come down there and kill you right now!"

"The towels are in the dryer!"

"But you just washed them the other day!" She retorted, moving up a few more steps as to be out of the viewing range of the strangers at the door.

"This household is only equipped to maintain one adult. Not two!"

"Oh shove it! I suppose I'll just have to let my hair drip dry…"

Eyes narrowing, he turned towards the stairs just about to forget about his visitors.

"If we're interrupting something, we can always just wait downstairs while you finish up," The black and yellow bee kid spoke again.

"Are you trying to get him to fire us?" The taller protested in a harsh whisper, "If he wants to be alone, we should respect that. Not everyone is like you and happy-go-lucky."

"What…why not?"

"Charmy…"The purple-chameleon warned, "No one besides you is generally that nicely comfortable."

"Espio. Charmy. You may wait in the kitchen while I attend to the issue here!" Knuckles stated loudly.

"You're…actually letting us stay without trying to slam the door in our face?" Charmy questioned.

"The supply of food here is low," He explained, beginning to head towards the dryer to retrieve a towel.

Rouge blinked, watching the exchange between the three men.

"Who are those two anyway? Employees? If so, you think they'd know better than to invite themselves over…"

With a shrug Knuckles disappeared into the hallway and the two strangers headed for the kitchen.

"We getting pizza or Chinese this week?" The chameleon questioned.

"Dunno. Knuckles actually has a visitor aside from us. Otherwise he wouldn't care."

"True. You really think she's his new secretary, Charmy?"

"It is strange that's she's here. He usually hates all his secretaries."

"Or they hate him. There was that one that said his lack of emotion was causing her mental problems, remember?"

"Oh yeah, her. I liked her."

"Charmy. You've always liked all of them."

The bee shrugged, "I prefer to reserve my taste to niceness."

Espio rolled his eyes, "You never change."

Smirking, he replied, "And we're friends just the same…right?"

"Not here," He said firmly.

"You're no fun," Charmy pouted.

"I don't want to get fired. We're lucky that he's taken this kindly to our weekly visits as it is."

"Weekly visits?" Rouge questioned inwardly, listening into the conversation, "So Mr. Hot Head does have some friends whether he'll admit it or not…"

But before the two could converse further, the phone began to ring.

"Should we…"

"Just let the answering machine get it," Charmy shrugged, "He probably doesn't want people to know he has visitors."

"Do you…try and hide that from the world, Knuckles?" Rouge pondered, "You don't want them to know you care…do you?"

Answering machine in the main hallway finally picking up, the white-haired bat girl heard the familiar voice of Knuckles' boss/friend coming over the line.

"Knuckles. It's not like you to not attend to the phone. Am I hoping too much in thinking that kiss earlier with the young lady wasn't as little as you made it? I expect a call when you are less occupied."

"Ugh. There goes his friends with the matchmaking crap again…" She sighed, "Must have something to do with them owning so much of the town. That or they're just worried about him in their own strange way…" Thinking over that last part again, Rouge hugged the towel about her closer, "I suppose that's what friends do. They worry about each other and want to see their children happily married with a family of their own. That's normal life. I'm the one with the friend issues here. Not him."

Returning with the small pile of dried towels, Knuckles' eyes narrowed as he realized who was in the household that overheard the message he missed.

Namely- two impish men who were currently sitting at his kitchen table grinning with mischief and obviously up to something.

"Now this will have to be addressed with them before the next business day," Knuckles thought to himself, "It's troublesome enough as it is. I don't need added complications to the matter."

Climbing up the stairs, he paused on seeing Rouge leaning against the wall.

"Rather impractical to stand out here!"

"After the fit you threw last time about dripping water on your floor, I figured I'd show you how minor it is," She retorted with a smirk, setting her aloof attitude back in place to hide her current pondering on the issue.

Handing over the towel, he stood there as she turned to go back and dry off properly.

That's when, he began to follow her.

"What do you think you're doing? I thought you got over that pervert phase, or are you just trying to show off for your friends?" Rouge retorted.

"Employees!" He corrected, then explained himself "And I believe you are still unable to bandage your injury alone!"

"Don't remind me," She glared.

"Also. I think it best we discuss some of the occurrences of this morning's outing!"

Rouge froze where she stood, "He means…"

"Given the injury at hand. It should be proper to inform me as to what we are dealing with."

"You mean my boss?"

"He seemed to be looking for you," Knuckles stated, going over and sitting on the bed.

Storming into the bathroom, she slammed the door.

"I don't want to talk about it, all right? He's not exactly my favorite subject."

"She's avoiding something," He remarked to himself, "Is she afraid if I know more that he'll seek me out as well?"

"Hey- where's the damned gauze at?"

Standing without a word, Knuckles walked over and grabbed the doorknob.

On hearing it turn, Rouge pressed herself against it.

"I asked for you to tell me, not show me."

"The shelf it is placed on would prove awkward for your stature!" He replied, beginning to use his shoulder to push at the door from his side.

"Just tell me where it's at!"

He increased his pressure on the door and Rouge's side began to feel sharp pains at the force. Despite her protests against it, she turned and pulled the door open.

But her sudden movement left Knuckles a victim of gravity and friction as the door was yanked open from the other side. Falling forward, he found himself with a face full of one of Rouge's more noticeable pieces of anatomy as they tumbled onto the ground.

Wincing as they both hit the floor, it took only a few seconds before Rouge registered where a certain red-furred echidna's face was.

"You!" Her voice rang out as she pushed him off her.

He narrowed his eyes, as he sat up, "If you were going to open the door, you should have done so in the first place!"

"… Off, you."

Eyes narrowing further, he began to reach out a hand in her direction.

She slapped it away.

"Just leave me the hell alone!"

Turning he stood and reached into one of the highest shelves of the cabinet and pulled down a roll of gauze.

Without a word more, he knelt beside her, a hand placed on her shoulder.

"I thought I said to…"

She was cut off as he spoke, "Moving hastily only causes more trouble in healing such injuries!"

Pausing, the anger left her face as she realized what he meant- her side was bleeding again, some of the cuts having been pulled open during the fall.

"Man…" She muttered.

"If you hate that man so much then why is he still controlling your actions?"

"What?"

"I told you. I'm not him," Knuckles said firmly, realizing the panic in her voice earlier was not so much directed at him as it was the mental impact of her boss on her.

Averting her gaze, Rouge pulled the towel closer around herself.

"This should be attended to," He said, gripping her arm.

"I know, okay!" She snapped back, her eyes full of the pain she was trying to hide.

"He's controlling her. Even now…Then, I suppose this reaction is only to be expected," He thought to himself, then moving closer to her, he reached up and grabbed the washcloth from the sink's ledge.

Saying not a word more, he gently began to wash away the blood that was seeping out from the wound on her side.

"Knuckles?"

He paused at his name, and looked up at her.

"What if… the scars won't heal?" She questioned, her mind thinking back on their earlier conversation.

"Then you are a weaker bat girl than I thought," He said simply and quietly returned to attending to the physical wounds.

As he stopped to put the washcloth back up in the sink, he felt a feather-light touch on his shoulder.

Realizing it was Rouge's other hand, he raised an eyebrow.

"Will you…" She swallowed, her mouth suddenly dry, "Will you help me fight him?"

The room fell silent, until finally Knuckles replied.

"Dealing with cowards is not something I enjoy doing."

Despite his words though, his lingering hand as he slowly removed her hand from his shoulder was enough for Rouge to understand.

"It'll be all right now. Eggman won't find me, and if he does… if he does- I…I have Knuckles on my side."

Standing, he stooped to pick her up.

"What are you doing now?" She protested, thrown by the sudden movement.

"It will be easier to attend to that with you on the bed."

Opening her mouth to retort, Rouge fell silent as Knuckles stepped out of the bathroom with her.

There in the bedroom's doorway were the two visitors- both smirking widely.

"What's wrong Knuckles? Not the type to have sex on the bathroom floor?" Charmy asked, his smirk barely containing his amusement.

Looking to Rouge's disheveled state with only a towel covering her, and realizing the last few lines could easily be mistaken, Knuckles leveled a glare on the two.

"Charmy!" He warned.

"Okay okay, let me guess- you have an explanation- right?"

"Attend to the food. It shall be explained in due time!" He stated firmly, leaving no room for protest or question.

"So- pizza or Chinese?" Espio cautiously asked.

Figuring he'd need some time to convince them of their mistake, Knuckles simply replied, "Both."

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Preview for next Chapter:

In order to keep the peace, Knuckles has to sit down and give a proper explanation to his employees in regards to Rouge. But sometimes you can read into words more than the speaker would want you to.


	15. Ringing True

Author's Notes: Once again- many thanks to those that take the time to review It means a lot to see that people are enjoying this story.

Okay, here we go again….

As always: read, review and enjoy

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Impulse. Something they say people act on all the time. Just a crazy premonition or an unknown feeling. But…how can someone that tries to hide all emotion and feeling act on impulse?

I had so many questions. I just couldn't understand why someone would want to go out of their way on my behalf. Especially when that someone was Knuckles. That echidna tries to put on the image of hating the world, yet…he'd done so much for me and barely knew me at all.

He'd shrugged it off at many different things- but they were all excuses. But perhaps, I was making excuses too. I didn't flinch anymore when he touched me- but that was just because I had gotten used to it. I found myself wanting to know more about him- but that was just curiosity. And whether I could admit it even subconsciously at the time or not- I found my heartbeat becoming irregular when there was no reason it should have been.

Perhaps my original determination to go to the café and confront my caller was on impulse too. But now- now my impulsive thoughts were just getting downright crazy. It was telling me that deep down- buried under all his issues- that Knuckles might actually give a damn about me. And I knew that couldn't be true…. Right?

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Chapter 14: Ringing True

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Knuckles' gaze hardened as he realized the two men had no intention of leaving the room just yet.

"I assumed you knew the definition of the word privacy!" He shouted, sitting Rouge down on the bed.

Charmy smirked, "I thought you said you weren't doing anything that would require privacy."

"Your company with her unclad might be awkward!"

Espio shifted from where he was leaning on the doorframe. His eyes, like Charmy's, searching Knuckles' to see how much truth there was in the statement he just said.

Before any of them could remark though, Rouge's suppressed temper decided to make its presence known.

"That is it! Whoever the hell you two are, please get the hell out of here! If you hadn't noticed, I'm not exactly wearing any clothing at the moment and it's bad enough that one bastard has to see me like this- let alone three!"

Holding the towel against her skin like a lifeline, she seethed. Her eyes glaring daggers through the two men by the door, and making sure to throw a few oft shots out of her peripheral vision at Knuckles as well.

The room fell silent, until Charmy dared speak up.

"I see you like them fiery. Not what I'd expect from you Knuckles, but they say opposites attract."

The bee received two deadly glares in reply.

"And, no need to feel awkward. Women aren't something I would waste my time looking at anyway," He shrugged.

Recalling the earlier incident, Rouge pieced it together.

"I see- so you're the gay guy that works with Knuckles."

"You got a problem with that, bat girl?" He shot back, eyes narrowed and body tense.

Espio placed a hand on his shoulder, "Calm down! She didn't mean it like that…"

"No. No problem at all," Rouge retorted, shifting her gaze to Espio, "So let me guess- he's your boyfriend?"

"Keh!" The chameleon crossed his arms hastily. "He's my secretary."

"One that does more than file your papers!" Knuckles noted, face hot-headed as always.

"Hey!" The purple chameleon exclaimed, starting to push up his sleeves, "You leave that out of this."

"Wait…" Charmy intervened, using Espio's tail to hold him back, "If that's the way you're defining things these days…." He looked from Knuckles to Rouge then back, "Come on Espio, I think Knuckles is wanting his secretary to help him file papers…"

As the two turned to leave, Rouge's shoulders tensed as she began to stand up and storm after them.

Her anger-driven actions were halted by a simple hand placed on her shoulder and a pair of violet eyes that held angry emotion in them.

"Don't bother."

"I am not letting those two think that you or your friend is paying for me to have sex with you!"

Raising an eyebrow, Knuckles responded, "So if they think it's mutual you're content with that?"

"No!" She yelled, standing up again. Her aqua-eyes glaring fiercely into his narrowed violet ones, "I don't want them to think anything!"

He paused, his eyes narrowing slightly.

Then without a word, he firmly grasped her chin.

"What are you…" She cut off her own speech on seeing his intent and perplexed face.

As if testing the waters, he slowly swept his thumb up and onto her closed lips.

Eyes widening and completely confused as to what he could possibly be up to, Rouge's mind ran wild.

"What in the hell is he doing? Did he…want there to be something? Oh yeah, that's likely. But why is he looking at me like that?"

"Rouge."

She quirked her eyebrow since her lips were still covered.

"It is to be known that I am not one to use my money for things of that sort."

Beginning to part her lips to retort, he tightened his hold a little.

"And my boss is not of that belief either. Despite the pressure he maintains on us. He would not want a forced relation."

Finally removing his finger, Rouge found she really had nothing left to say.

Walking around her, Knuckles slowly pulled back the covers on the bed and pulled off the sheet, then he reached for her wrist.

Tugging her slightly towards him, he began to reach up for the towel she clutched about her.

"Hey you! Just because your friends want us to have consensual sex doesn't mean we have to!" She protested, yanking her arm free.

Frown settling on his face, he held out the sheet to her.

"Given the lack of undergarments I assumed you would want something more substantial than a towel!"

Snatching it away from him, she took the sheet.

"Whatever."

Wrapping it around her waist, she took the remaining part and clutched it against her chest before letting the towel fall to the ground.

An awkward silence hung in the air as she almost mechanically walked towards the bed. Seeing as she was acting a bit strange, Knuckles stood, and waited for her to seat herself. Then without a word, he sat beside her, gently guiding her to lie down and rest her head in his lap.

"Hey! What do you think you're doing?" Rouge protested, caught off guard by the surface her head laid upon.

"The pillows are behind your back!" He growled simply.

Feeling the gauze against her bared skin, she looked up at him the best she could.

"Why?"

"Why…?"

"Why are you going out of your way to be so damned nice to me? your friends- everyone knows that it's not like you to act like this…."

"It's not every day someone who's had a champagne bottle shattered on their side is left in my presence."

Turning slightly, her eyebrows furrowed as she tried to read his expression.

"And so just because my life sucks you decided you'd go out of your way to give a damn? Likely story, but I'm not buying it."

"Your life is not of my concern."

She sat upright then, her face inches in front of his.

"Bullshit. You say that, yet you give up your pillows to make me more comfortable. Let me stay in your house, tend to my injures- that's not something someone who doesn't care does!"

Knuckles frowned, for once not certain what to say in reply.

Mimicking his earlier gesture she reached out and grabbed his chin, forcing his eyes to look into hers.

"Tell me why. Now. Stop these riddles and just tell me."

"The simple answer is unknown."

"Knuckles…" She moved forward, her knees resting alongside his on the bed, "Why can't you just tell me?"

"Because he doesn't even know right now either," A soft voice said from the doorway.

Snapping her head around, Rouge's eyes caught sight of Espio who was leaning there casually.

"You…"

"I wasn't spying. But the food should be here soon and I figured you might want to know that," He muttered with a shrug.

"Don't consume it all while I finish here," Knuckles said simply, completely nonchalant about Rouge's proximity to him.

Going out the door, he paused with it half-open.

"Knuckles a weird one. He acts without reason. And sometimes- if you're really lucky, he'll do something unexpected and out of his way for ya. It's not like him, but hey- people do things on impulse. Life's just that way."

As the door swung close, the young chameleon's final words came through.

"Don't let him get to ya, Missy. If anyone can do it- you'll be the one to find his heart."

Rouge just stared after him, her mind processing the words he'd said.

Having forgotten how close she was to Knuckles, she started slightly on turning and finding herself practically nose to nose with him.

Before she could retreat to more comfortable distance, her body registered the light pressure of a hand on her hip.

"It's not proper to be unnecessarily cruel to someone who has already been wronged," He stated, voice low and expression unreadable.

"Was that…my answer?" She thought to herself, not realizing how she leaned into his grasp.

His hand slowly moving up her back, it gently rested on her injured side as he slowly unrolled the gauze.

"People do things on impulse…Is that all this is Knuckles?"

Slumping forward against him, her forehead rested on his shoulder.

"Damn, I hate being woken up early in the morning…" She muttered, her interrupted sleep beginning to catch up on her already taxed body.

Noticing this out of the corner of his eye, his frown deepened.

"Why am I…doing this?"

Gauze slowly unrolled as it wound around her midsection, covering the small cuts and minor bruises that covered her side.

"Knuckles…"

Regarding her, he paused, the gauze hanging loose for a moment.

"Just let me rest like this for a moment."

Blinking once, his vaguely apparent shock crossed his features and was gone in an instant.

"Resting in an upright position isn't advisable," He replied.

"I don't care…" She yawned, head tilting against his neck, "Just don't let your friend wake us up so early anymore on a weekend…"

"This whole situation must be straining her body more than she's letting it show," He reasoned, pulling the gauze around one more time before tying it off.

Sitting the remainder of the roll on the nightstand, he braced her body gently so she wouldn't fall.

"Not one to show this weak side of yourself to just anyone- are you, Rouge?" He pondered to himself, leaning back against the headboard, "Then again. Weakness is not something people want to be so easily seen."

"Knuckles?"

Looking over towards the doorway, he noted the two familiar faces peering in through the cracked door.

Raising an eyebrow, he awaited what he believed would be inane, irritating questions.

Instead, the two men had begun to figure things out themselves.

"What happened to her? Espio said he saw cuts on her side when he came up earlier," Charmy said quietly as to not disturb the woman they spoke of.

"It shall be explained at a later time."

"Is that why she's here?" Espio questioned.

"It could be conceived in that manner."

Plopping down into the nearby chair, Charmy gestured with his head for the chameleon to follow.

"I never thought you'd be the type to play saint again, Knuckles. The whole instant with the kid was shocking enough…."

He frowned slightly.

"But- it's nice to see that you're beginning to act a little more human. I'm sure the rest of the staff will be glad to hear it."

"It is not of their concern what goes on in this house," Knuckles said firmly.

"Sooner or later they'll find out your new secretary is living here. You'd best just explain things up front."

"That will be to Rouge's discretion."

Espio sat down on the arm of the chair, after swatting Charmy's hand away, "Is what happened to her really that bad?"

"Her willingness to speak of it in public is uncertain."

"Anything we can do?" The chameleon offered.

"Don't let anyone strange come near her," Knuckles said firmly, his eyes looking to the gauze.

"Okay, we'll help you protect her from whoever caused that," Espio said, turning to his companion, "Right Charmy?"

"Sure… hey can we get a bonus or something for it? You know like- for being bodyguards or something?"

Frown returning to his face at the usual antics, the red-furred echidna sighed lightly, "Take that up with my boss."

"Publishing and editing staff by day- bodyguards by night… you know that would make for an interesting story, Knuckles…" Espio joked, his usual grin in place.

"Maybe to someone like you," Came the flat reply.

About to defend his idea further, the chameleon stopped on hearing the knock from downstairs.

"Ah, there's the food. Come on Charmy, I'll need help given all we ordered."

"Okay okay," He stood and walked over to Knuckles and held out a hand, "The money for it?"

Reaching into his pocket, he fished out his wallet and handed over the cash.

"We'll be down in a moment."

"All right then," The two said, making their way out.

The silence from before once again settling on the room, Knuckles found his thoughts drifting back over their conversation.

"Help me protect her? They make me sound like some hero from one of those horrid romance novels Julie-Su reads."

Feeling the light shift against his side, he glanced down at the white-haired bat girl.

"Making a story out of this? What an absurd idea…"

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Preview for next Chapter:

With the food there and some questions to answer, Knuckles and Rouge begin the task of filling in Espio and Charmy in regards to the situation. But when Rouge's previous job comes up, you can be certain that Knuckles will never hear the end of it from his friends.


	16. This is the Operator Calling

Author notes: And to that reviewer who said Knuckles was not in character, I think he's being hotheaded enough or does he need to be even more? In this chapter I will experiment with that…

All right, here we go- enjoy, read and review

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If there is one easy way (and when I say "easy" there is no damn pun intended) to make someone lose all respect for you- it's when they find out one of your prior jobs was that of a phone-sex operator. I mean honestly- unless you're applying for the job of a female "escort" or a stripper- it's not exactly something you'd want on your résumé.

It also doesn't help if the two people you're trying to convince otherwise about yourself first laid eyes on you not only when you were wearing nothing but a towel- but when you were also coming downstairs from a man's bedroom.

Sad to say- but about the only thing that was going to get me out this was the fact that said man had hormones the size of lint… if even that.

But as I was slowly being to realize- the friends of one Knuckles the Echidna were nowhere near normal. And perhaps, that's exactly what the two of us needed to make it through our hectic lives.

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Chapter 15: This is the Operator Speaking

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It was a steady rhythm. Gentle, soothing, and somewhat comforting. At first Rouge thought it might have been her own heartbeat thrumming in her ears, but as her exhaustion pulled back its veil over her, she knew then it wasn't.

Keeping her eyes closed and her breathing level, she savored it. The quiet room with not a single sound in it except for the two beating hearts seemed like heaven compared to the dark nights and the harsh sounds of her own home.

The crashing furniture, breaking glass, shattering dreams… it was a living nightmare. But this solitude was a breath of fresh air that Rouge had to admit to herself- she was enjoying.

She could feel the light pressure of his hand resting on her back- strong enough to keep her from falling, but gentle enough to not cause any panic or harm. Before him, she'd never known what it was like to have protective arms cradling her body or foreign hands tending to one of her many wounds. Although, given he was who he was- being grateful towards him seemed a bit silly, and a light smile tugged at her lips as she thought that over.

Her mind was full of many questions- but at the moment she was content just to stay like that and let him hold her. For once, she truly felt safe.

"You're awake huh? Then get up!" His growling voice broke through the silence.

Rouge frowned, "He… he knew I was awake."

Sitting upright, she opened her mouth to snap back when she noticed the strange and thoughtful expression on his face.

"What's that look for?" The question spilled from her lips. The last thing she wanted from him was outright pity.

"There are many things we need to explain to them."

"What?"

"Vector's message! They overheard it!"

Thinking back over what was said in the message; Rouge pieced together the reasoning behind his odd countenance.

"The… kiss…" She muttered it softly, as her eyes drifted towards the corner of the room.

Suddenly feeling very bare before him with just the sheet around her, the white-haired bat girl stood shakily and began to look around for the clothing they'd purchased earlier.

"The closet!" He remarked grumpily, easily understanding her actions.

She shot a quick glance at him, then walked towards the sliding mirrored doors that opened to the closet.

The room remained quiet, aside from the rattling of the door in its tracks as it slid to reveal the clothing inside.

All they'd gotten was neatly hung up, the more elaborate ones still inside their garment bags. As she reached for a shirt and skirt, Rouge's eyes fell on the small box sitting on the floor of the closet.

"It might be of use to you," Knuckles' voice cut into her thoughts.

Pausing, she slowly knelt- her fingers pulling the box open.

"This is…"

"Mother's." He said simply.

"From…your mother?"

She noticed him shift his gaze elsewhere, "My Mother's."

Fingers moving more rapidly now with curiosity against the rough cardboard, Rouge noticed the dust that graced the top of it and brushed it away.

With the box open, her eyes took in the contents of it. Filled with clothing, and a few stray accessories, Rouge began to look through them. Almost reverently digging her way towards the bottom of the items, her eyes fell on a long oriental skirt and a matching top- the intricate pattern of cranes and symbols identical to the dress she'd been wearing when she'd met Knuckles.

Delicately pulling it out of the box, she looked to him- uncertain what to say, but feeling strange remaining silent.

"I see…" She muttered, voice holding a light air of disappointment in it, "So I reminded you of her… that's all…"

Hanging her head, Rouge barely registered the noise of Knuckles standing and walking towards her.

"Mother was nothing like you."

Raising her torn gaze up to his piercing violet eyes, she shoved the outfit into his arms and looked away.

"It makes sense now- why you're being so kind to me… The dress I was wearing then- it looked like that."

The room fell silent- once again returning to the sounds of nothing but the two heartbeats. Knuckles' frown increased, as he looked from the clothing in his arms to the woman before him.

"She would have been pleased," He said after a moment.

Rouge remained defiantly silent, leaving him no other option but to continue.

"A stubborn woman like you working your way into my life."

Reaching out and forcefully placing the clothing back into her arms, he turned to leave.

"You are free to do what you want, Rouge."

She seethed, flinging the clothes on the ground, "If I'm free to do what I want- then I demand a straight answer. Why are you letting me stay here? Tell me the truth- once and for all!"

Knuckles frowned slightly and diverted his eyes, his eyebrows furrowing in thought.

"You make things…" He narrowed his eyes as he sought out the right word, "-interesting."

"And what is that supposed to mean?" She fumed, grabbing him by the wrist and commanding his attention.

Completely intent on land blasting him further, she froze as his hand slid down and loosely grasped hers.

"The matter of remaining here is your choice."

With that said, he let go and turned to walk away.

Her hand suddenly felt cold without his there, and her mind raced.

"My…choice? I'm free to make my own choice?"

Finding her voice, Rouge called after him "….Knuckles?"

He paused, waiting for what she had to say.

"Then I'll…" Taking a deep breath, she rushed out the rest, "I'll stay."

A light smirk graced his features as he picked up the air of stubbornness in her voice- almost as if she was daring him to disagree.

"You might consider getting dressed then. I'd rather have my sheet on my bed."

She frowned, but it quickly turned upward into a smirk of her own, "Fine. I will."

As Knuckles continued to exit the room, he noticed her bending to pick up the clothing she'd flung to the ground.

"Stubborn woman."

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The kitchen was quiet as the red-furred echidna entered, his eyes studying the two others silently.

"I see you haven't eaten everything yet…"

The two men looked up at the sound of the voice.

Charmy shrugged, "You said yourself that you're low on food."

"Where's the girl at?" Espio asked, sitting down a piece of pizza.

"She'll be down," Knuckles replied cooly, taking a seat and reaching into the bags of Chinese.

"Okay- so joking aside- I couldn't help but notice your boss's message…"

Charmy smirked, as the expected set of violet eyes glared at him.

Meticulously, he broke apart the chopsticks, "And?"

"If she's nothing but someone you're helping out- what was the kiss for?"

Coming from most people, this would seem like an honest question- but Knuckles knew better, and he could see the impish gleam in the other man's eyes.

He exhaled quietly, knowing he shouldn't have expected any less from these two. They were some of the first employee's hired when he was first given the position at the publishing company- two kids just out of school and looking for trouble. And then they ended up with Knuckles for a boss and set about making him their friend, whether he liked it or not.

"Come on Knuckles, we aren't letting you just silent treatment yourself out of this one…" Charmy's voice intervened.

The glare from the other man intensified, and the inquirer had to withhold a laugh at how he knew he was making Knuckles squirm.

"Don't you give me that look," He said, shaking a slice of pizza in his direction, "Unless you've been hiding other exploits- that was your first kiss with a woman, right?"

"With a woman!" Knuckles replied, angrily. But his expression of irritation and the way his eyes narrowed spoke volumes.

"Hey now- I was a bit drunk when that one happened!"

"Not that that would have stopped you…" Espio interrupted.

"Whose side are you on?" The bee pouted, crossing his arms.

Content that Charmy was distracted, Knuckles began to eat the food before him…pausing when he felt the black and yellow bee's hand on his arm.

"Okay- spill it. There had to be some reason you were compelled to kiss her. Perhaps a strange…tingly feeling?"

"He was hiding me from my boss," The curt female voice interrupted, causing the two visitors to look up, "Right, Knuckles?"

The red-furred echidna turned then, the chopsticks falling from his loose grasp as he realized the outfit she was wearing.

Sure enough, the pattern was the same as the dress she'd worn that first day at the café, and she held herself up with dignity despite the scars she hid beneath the fabric.

And inwardly, Knuckles respected her for that.

"That's right!"

"From your boss…was he the one that…" Espio's gaze shifted uneasily towards the injured side.

"Yeah, he did. Now I'm gonna eat, and then I'll answer all the irritating questions you two want to ask if I feel like it."

Her glare, which was only a slight bit less intimidating than Knuckles', quieted them both in regards to the matter of the kiss- at least for the moment.

She sat down next to Knuckles, and without a word he handed over one of the remaining containers of Chinese.

Watching him from the corners of her eyes, Rouge tried to decipher the look that had crossed his face when he'd first noticed her wearing his Mother's outfit.

"What was that? Surprise? Shock? Or was it something…else?"

Feeling the sensation of someone looking at him, Knuckles looked up and caught Rouge's gaze with his own.

For a few fleeting moments, they remained like that- silently trying to read each other through their eyes alone.

"If you'd like us to clear the table off so you don't have to go upstairs to the bedroom, I'd be more than willing," Charmy said with a laugh.

Knuckles turned, returning the glare from before.

Espio sighed, and cleared his throat in attempt to keep their boss from firing them, "So Rouge- right?"

Hesitantly she nodded.

He smiled then, hoping his small talk would distract the others, "So- what was your previous job?"

But with that question, the room was dropped into complete silence as Rouge's expression soured.

"I'd rather not talk about it…" She muttered, focusing her attention on eating her food.

Blinking innocently, the chameleon attempted to lighten the suddenly tense mood, "It can't be that bad. It's not like you were a phone-sex operator or something kinky like that, right?"

If the room could get any quieter- it just did. Espio completely unaware that he'd hit the nail square on the head.

Catching the strange expressions that just befell Rouge and Knuckles' faces, Charmy's smile broke into a wide grin.

Finding herself completely irritated, Rouge was just about to speak up when Knuckles beat her to it.

"Her boss didn't leave her with much of a choice!"

"But how did you…" Espio began, still a bit thrown that his joking guess was right.

"Sonic thought my speed dial was a fun thing to be tampered with!"

Charmy just shook his head, putting the whole scenario together- "Okay, let me get this straight. Your sexy little friend played with your speed dial, you accidentally called a phone-sex line and got her for an operator. Somehow along the line you ended up deciding to actually meet her in person and help her away from her oppressive boss, and in one such case of helping her- you kissed her. Is that about everything?"

Figuring the vagueness of it was the best, Knuckles nodded. Rouge just bit her tongue from going off on them.

"And here I thought you hated those romance novels Julie-Su is always trying to pawn off on you. Hate to burst your bubble Knuckles, but add a little more emotion, a little more romance and your little story here would make a best seller."

"My life is not some story to be sold off!" Rouge finally snapped, standing upright.

"Writers have to write from experience- and you're the only romantic experience Knuckles' had," Charmy said, casually finishing off a breadstick.

Part of her mind demanded that she right this man's opinions of her, but the other part was running what he'd said through her mind and what she'd overheard earlier.

"Wait a second- that was Knuckles' first kiss with a woman? Then I wasn't the only one who…" She cut herself off; embittered that her boss's overbearing nature had ruined what could have been at least a semi-normal life for her younger years.

"The son of the richest man in town and his struggles to help a poor girl down on her luck escape her life as a phone-sex operator… I still say Knuckles- best seller."

"I didn't know you and Julie-Su were that intimate!" He retorted, pleased by the disgusted look on Charmy's face at the implication.

"No! Ick! I can't stand that woman- she drives me insane," Charmy pouted, earning a barely sympathetic sigh from Espio.

Plopping back down into the chair, Rouge sighed herself, "You writers are all nuts- all of you!"

"Nah- all of us but Knuckles. So be thankful you snagged the sane one," He replied, "You're a lucky woman, and if I wasn't already involved, you would be my love rival- so just let it be known, we are only on friendly terms due to the fact Espio's partially sane and all mine."

With that he extended a hand, and she took it, giving it a shake.

Smiling back on realizing the unique young man was trying to make some amends for things he might have said, Rouge shrugged, "He seems a lot saner than you, that's for sure."

"Charmy…"

"Hmm?" He turned to his companion, "What is it, Espio?"

At that, the chameleon could no longer contain his smile, "I hate to inform you- but, you just broke your little trend."

He blinked, "…Huh?"

"I think you just made friends with Knuckles' new secretary."

Face sinking a bit at realizing that he had indeed broken his trend of hating all the previous women, Charmy crossed his arms again, "Well damn…Between me tolerating her and Knuckles kissing a woman- the world must be ending!"

"A sign of the apocalypse indeed," Knuckles muttered dryly.

At that, the two men broke into laughter, and Rouge just smirked. Things were finally beginning to look up- even if they were a bit, unique.

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Preview for next Chapter :

It seems a bit of an understanding has finally been forged between Knuckles' two employees and the woman that will soon be working as his secretary- but the issue of the kiss and any possible implications in it is still something that needs to be resolved.


	17. Hotline

As always, I ask that you read, review and enjoy

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How can you tell how a guy feels about you? Well, there's that old song that says- it's not in his eyes, it's not in his face or in how he holds you- but it all comes down to the kiss.

Well before now, I would have told you that song lyrics are the biggest piece of romantic bullshit- right up there with the romance novels. But after listening to a gay guy ramble on about romance and the feelings that even an accidental kiss can hold, I began to wonder if the weirdo was right.

It was my first kiss, as lame as that sounds. I'd been so secluded from the world thanks to my ass of a boss that dating when I was younger was completely out of the question. Plus, as Topaz often noted- I act like a guy sometimes…and the only guys that want to date someone like that- well, they're gay.

So my language is a bit uncouth, and I'm not all dainty and prissy and that kinda shit. Excuse me for being raised by the spawn of pure evil. It's not like it was my choice, but I had to be this way to survive.

But on the other hand, it was supposedly Knuckles' first kiss from a female- leaving us even in regards to lameness. A first kiss is supposed to be memorable… and now, I just had to figure out what else that kiss was supposed to be…

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Chapter 16: Hotline

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The lunchtime conversation began to die-down. Knuckles and Rouge both eating silently while Charmy made a few quiet comments now and then to Espio.

For a moment, it seemed as if the household was finally at peace.

That is- until the meal finished.

Charmy casually popped the last piece of a breadstick into his mouth, as a smirk danced on his lips. Eyeing the two across the table from him, he cleared his throat.

"Well, since the food's almost gone, I suppose it's our turn to ask all the questions we want. Riiiight?"

Violet and aqua eyes glared back as Charmy licked the pizza sauce away from the corner of his lips.

"Come on now- if I don't know what's going on, then rumors are bound to start up. And we wouldn't want that- now would we?"

Knuckles sat down the empty container of rice and leveled a stern look, and was seemingly trying not to explode.

"Hey- it's just a few painless questions… and if you want me to keep it a secret, I can do that."

"Like…" Rouge muttered.

"Mou… don't be like that," He pouted, "I'm just trying to see what's going on so we can help."

The white-haired bat girl began to stand in protest when she felt a hand resting on her arm.

"They are to be trusted," Knuckles stated simply.

Her eyebrows furrowed in confusion, and he clarified.

"Nothing said is to leave this room!"

"Understood," Charmy said with a nod, "Now- let's start at the beginning. You called that number, and somehow ended up meeting her in person. That still doesn't explain why she's living here."

Regarding Rouge's reaction, Knuckles frowned.

"My boss was convinced that her presence might help my writing."

"Julie-Su's doing?" Espio questioned.

He nodded in the positive.

Taking this in, Charmy tapped lightly on the table, "This have something to do with the injury?"

Rouge took a deep breath and spoke up, "I was trying to run away and my boss caught me. The cuts are from a champagne bottle."

The two men's eyes widened at the information.

Room falling silent, Knuckles finally spoke up.

"And due to both those reasons, she now lives here."

Espio shifted in his chair before speaking softly, "They say, you gotta live each day to the fullest- but… it's hard to do that alone," He looked up at Rouge, a smile on his face, "Charmy and I, we don't have anyone but each other- and Knuckles when he lets us, to call family." Extending his hand out to her, he continued, "You can trust us. You're one of us now."

Unsure of her words, Rouge simply nodded and took his hand, "Thanks."

"Okay, okay," Charmy muttered, regaling Espio back towards his side of the table, "Now that the bonds of undying loyalty have been forged..."

His companion frowned at the terminology and the bee rested a hand on his arm in reassurance it was just good-hearted joking.

"I still have one more little question."

Knowing all to well where this was headed, Knuckles began to stand to leave.

"Knuckles- if I don't ask you I'll ask your boss, so you might as well tell me," Charmy threatened.

"Always meddling in other's lives!"

"It keeps me busy," He shrugged, "But honestly Knuckles, I'm curious as to the reasoning behind your little kiss and I was hoping you'd tell."

Violet eyes shifted to Rouge, as if to ask her to do the explaining.

"What?" She snapped.

"Explain as you see fit."

"And that's supposed to mean?" Her eyes narrowed, trying to see what he was up to.

"Is he trying to avoid something or…"

"Being as it was your boss- Your explanation might be necessary even for my hearing."

"That's right… I have kinda… skirted around some of the details…"

Taking a deep breath she began, "Okay, put simply- I've tried to runaway before. He wasn't…well, he was never happy with me. So, when I went missing he of course went out to find me and drag me back home. As you can see from my side, it wasn't exactly an option to disagree with what he wanted from me…"

Rouge paused as a strange expression crossed Knuckles' features. It was almost- like a shocked realization that faded quickly back to his usual façade.

Noting that he was clearly not going to do anything with the two others present, she figured she could press him about it later and continued with her story.

"And so, when we were at the mall this morning with Knuckles' friends- I saw him walking up towards the entrance as we were leaving. I guess Knuckles noticed me freeze and figured out who it was. That's all I can tell you from my side."

All eyes then shifted to Knuckles, an unspoken request to tell his half.

Frowning, he simply explained, "In sheltering her against the side of the building from his vision. A misstep in her direction caused an unexpected exchange."

Sagely nodding as if that told everything, Charmy put a finger to his forehead- tapping there as if to spark some thoughts.

"Hmm… that does indeed explain the situation," He said, voice modulated and obviously working up towards something, "But," He paused pointing his finger towards Knuckles, "The question still remains- what did it mean to you?"

Quirking an eyebrow, his composed countenance remained unshaken.

"Don't look at me like that. It is common knowledge that even an accidental peck on the cheek can speak volumes. It's sorta like that one song… by…err…what's her name…"

"You mean Cher?" Espio offered.

"Yah, that one! It says you can tell all about your feelings from a simple kiss. And since you my friend might as well be the winter wonderland when it comes to emotion, I was hoping this might shed some light."

Looking not the least bit amused, the red-furred echidna crossed his arms.

"Well- what about you Rouge?" Charmy questioned, seeing that his other lead was going nowhere.

"What about me?" She countered.

Grabbing Espio and pulling him up as he stood, Charmy's smirk widened.

"So…let's see… she was against the wall with you leaning protectively over her…" The bee spoke as he pushed Espio against the nearest wall and leaned over him. "Like this, Knuckles?" He asked casually.

"Hnn!"

Taking that as a 'yes' Charmy continued his charade.

"The misstep, along with your desire to keep her hidden- resulted in the following…"

Leaning in the same way Knuckles had earlier that morning, the young bee smirked before capturing his pinned boyfriend's lips in a chaste kiss.

"Mmm…you and pepperoni taste good together, Espio," He remarked slyly.

"Charmy!" The chameleon protested not all that pleased with the position he was in.

"Ah yes, so I was I saying- putting myself in your icy mindset, I'd say that somewhere deep deep down in your subconscious, there is definitely something you thought in regards to that action."

Knuckles' current expression was at its usual grumpy state, leaving no one with any clue as if he did indeed harbor some thought on the matter.

"Every kiss has a meaning- like that one I had with you said 'I will kill you once you're sober'" He laughed to himself, "Love or not, Knuckles- it's all in the kiss."

Seeing that he'd given the writer enough to think about for quite some time, Charmy shrugged, "Well, we'd best be going and leave you two to figure things out."

"Yah, let's leave before he fires us…"

"Hey, we've done more than kiss in front of him before!"

Frowning Espio retorted, "Please don't remind me about that fiasco in the break room."

Charmy laughed, "Oh, but that was fun. We should do that again," He said, heading towards the front door.

"Not in the break room."

Smirking at the implication, the bee casually placed his hand on Espio's backside.

"So anywhere else is okay then?"

"Charmy…"

"Hey, do we own a Cher CD?"

"Probably…why?"

Charmy grinned mischievously and the chameleon sighed.

"Pervert."

"A boy's gotta have fun, neh?"

Espio rolled his eyes.

Pausing at the doorway, Charmy looked back towards the two others, "Just remember Knuckles- it's all in the kiss."

Wooden door swinging closed behind the strange duo, the house fell suddenly silent.

Charmy's final words hanging in the air heavily, the two occupants of the household were left with little to say.

Realizing that one of them had to move or speak first, Knuckles stood and began to walk out of the kitchen.

"I have writing to attend to," He muttered in explanation as he retreated to his study.

Rouge sighed, running a hand through her fur.

Looking down at the dress, she gently ran her finger over the patterns on it.

"He's so goddamn introverted. It's driving me insane."

Sighing on realizing him writing could take hours and that it was still mid-afternoon, Rouge trudged back upstairs and laid down on the bed.

"I feel so drained… then again, my life has been more hell than usual lately," She thought to herself, regarding her side.

"It's in the kiss…" Charmy's words came back to her.

"What did that mean? I know it probably didn't faze the Hothead Prince, but damn… what am I supposed to make of that kiss?"

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Downstairs in his study, Knuckles' mindset was no more at ease than her's was.

"A kiss being of emotional impact on one's self. Ridiculous!" He rubbed at his temples, "Without a conscious thought in regards to the action there can be no emotional thoughts derived from it."

Going to rest his chin in his hand, his fingers brushed over his lips and he paused.

"I'd say that somewhere deep deep down in your subconscious; there is definitely something you thought in regards to that action."

His employee's words rang in his head and he found himself with a brewing headache, as that thought nagged at him.

"Subconsciously? What was I thinking then…"

Closing his eyes, he ran the events of earlier back through his mind. He remembered the panicked look on Rouge's face when she saw her boss. He remembered making the decision to hide her from him…but what after that?

"I saw the wall. Figured I could use my height to block her form from his vision. She was… shaking…terribly."

He opened his eyes, focusing them lazily on a spot on the ceiling.

"He was coming up behind us. Leaning in was the only option. And then…"

A light air of confusion danced on his features as he slowly unraveled his own mind.

"The feeling of her lips pressed against mine. It was…"

Lowering his gaze, his features softened as it slowly dawned on him.

"It was… not unpleasant."

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Preview for next Chapter:

While Rouge tries to sort out her thoughts on the matter, Knuckles discovers the reason behind his mysterious "talent" on his novel.


End file.
